H^H^ 

wli! 


m 


STOCKBRIDGE, 


PAST  AND  PRESENT; 


OR,     RECORDS     OF 


AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION. 


BY  MISS   ELECTA   F.  JONES. 


SPRINGFIELD: 

SAMUEL    BOWLES    &    COMPANY, 
1854. 


PRINTED     BT 

SAMUEL  BOWLES   ft   COMPANY, 

SPRINGFIELD,    MASS. 


f  r  ^  ri  , 
r./dnn  r;/ 


PREFACE. 


IT  must  be  a  source  of  satisfaction  to  the  people  of 
Stockbridge,  that  the  labor  of  writing  the  history  of  their 
town  fell  into  the  hands  of  so  faithful  a  chronicler  as  the 
author  of  these  pages.  The  writer  of  this  preface  felt 
greatly  interested  in  the  execution  of  the  enterprise,  and 
bears  his  cheerful  testimony  to  the  untiring  spirit  with 
which  she  prosecuted  it.  For  two  years  she  was  almost 
constantly  occupied  in  laborious  research  and  correspond 
ence  connected  with  the  work,  and  our  community  owes 
her  no  small  debt  of  gratitude  for  the  discovery  and  pub 
lication  of  documents  of  great  local  interest,  which,  but 
for  her  diligence,  would,  in  all  probability,  never  have 
known  the  light.  This  is  particularly  true  of  that  portion 
of  the  book  which  treats  of  the  Stockbridge  Indians  —  in 
many  respects  the  most  interesting  of  all  our  Aboriginal 
tribes. 

The  author  laid  no  claims  to  profound  erudition.  She 
was  a  plain,  sensible  woman,  and  wrote  for  the  preserva 
tion  and  exhibition  of  truth,  not  from  any  desire  to  attract 


4  PREFACE, 

notice,  or  prurient  love  of  authorship ;  and  her  book  is 
not  presented  as  a  specimen  of  rhetorical  or  syntactical 
exactitude.  Its  chief  merit  is  its  truthfulness.,  and  on  this, 
it  is  believed,  the  reader  may  safely  rely. 

The  author  lived  just  long  enough  to  put  a  finishing 
hand  to  the  work,  and  left  a  written  request  that  the  sub 
scriber  should  superintend  its  publication.  This  office  he 
has  essayed  to  do,  with  no  important  change  from  the  con 
dition  in  which  it  left  her  pen -;,  and  now  commits  it  to  the 
public,  bespeaking  for  its  lamented  author  the  spirit  of 
candor  and  charity  with  which  it  was  written. 

E.  W.  B.  CANNING, 

STOCKBRIDGE,  MASS., 
February,  1854.      . 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE. 

INTRODUCTION, 9 

SEC.     1.    STOCKBRIDGE  INDIANS  :   WHO  ARE  THEY  ?  13 

"         2.   INDIAN  HISTORY, 14 

"         3.   FURTHER  PARTICULARS,            ...  23 

"         4.    LANGUAGE, 30 

"         5.    FIRST  PURCHASE  OF  STOCKBRIDGE,          .  38 

"         6.   DAY-BREAK  IN  HOUSATONIC,       ...  39 

"         7.    ESTABLISHMENT  OF  THE  MISSION,              ~  41 

"         8.   FORMATION  OF  THE  CHURCH,     ...  42 

"         9.    PROGRESS  OF   LIGHT,      ....  43 

"      10.    ORDINATION  OF  MR.  SERGEANT,            .           .  48 

"      11.   FIRST  SPIRITUAL  HARVEST  IN  HOUSATONIC,  51 

"       12.    REMOVAL  TO  STOCKBRIDGE,        ...  53 

"      13.   VISIT  TO  BOSTON,              ....  58 

"      14.   CHURCH,  SCHOOL  HOUSE,  ETC.,             .           .  58 

"      15.    GENERAL  PROGRESS  OF  THE  MISSION,     .  62 

"      16.    OUT-LABORS  OF  MR.  SERGEANT,            .           .  66 

"      17.   HOLLIS  SCHOOL, 69 

"      18.   PRIVATE  LIFE  OF  MR.  AND  MRS.  SERGEANT,  76 

"      19.   THE  INDIANS  IN  WAR  AND  IN  PEACE,       .  79 

"      20.   REMOVAL  FROM  STOCKBRIDGE,              .            .  85 

"      21.   RESIDENCE  AT  NEW  STOCKBRIDGE,           .  87 
1* 


6  CONTENTS. 

SEC.  22.   REMOVAL  FROM  NEW  STOCKBRIDGK,              .  99 

"      23.    GATHERING  AT  GREEN  BAY,                 .            .  103 

"      24.   NEW  HOME  ON  LAKE  WINNEBAGO,      .            .  105 

"      25.    LAST  REMOVAL,      ....  114 

"      26.    BIOGRAPHICAL  NOTICES  OF  INDIANS,            .  117 
"      27.    DITTO    OF  INDIVIDUALS    WHO  ESTABLISHED 

THE  MISSION, 123 

"      28.    EARLY  FAMILIES  OF  WHITES,            .            .  128 

"      29.    PRESIDENT  EDWARDS  AND  WIFE,         .            .  154 

"      30.    SUCCESSOR   OF  PRESIDENT  EDWARDS DR. 

STEPHEN  WEST,  .  .  .  .  161 
"  31.  REVOLUTIONARY  WAR,  .  .  .  .168 
"  32.  SECOND  CHURCH  IN  STOCKBRIDGE,  .  183 
"  33.  THE  SHAYS  REBELLION,  ....  185 
"  34.  COLONIES  FROM  STOCKBRIDGE,  .  .  201 
"  35.  WAR  WITH  GREAT  BRITAIN,  .  .  .  205 
"  36.  DIVISION  OF  THE  PARISH,  PASTORS,  EDI 
FICES,  ETC.,  .....  209 
"  37.  DEACONS  OF  THE  CHURCH,  .  „,.  .  217 
"  38.  RELIGION,  INCLUDING  BIBLE  CLASSES, 
CHARITIES,  TEMPERANCE,  MISSIONARIES, 


ETC.,            .... 

219 

«    39. 

GENERAL  LITERATURE, 

.     229 

«     40. 

PHYSICIANS, 

236 

"     41. 

AFRICAN  POPULATION, 

.     238 

"     42. 

CRIME  AND  CASUALTIES, 

243 

«     43. 

MISCELLANEOUS, 

.     245 

«     44. 

VEGETABLE  PRODUCTIONS,      . 

248 

«     45. 

GEOGRAPHY, 

.     249 

«     46. 

BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES, 

255 

APPENDIX,       ...... 

.     269 

"  Thou  shall  remember  all  the  way  which  the  Lord  thy  God  led  thee  these 
forty  years  in  the  wilderness."  DEUT.  8 :  2. 

"  Inquire,  I  pray  thee,  of  the  former  age,  and  prepare  thyself  to  the 
search  of  their  fathers."  JOB.  8 :  8. 

"  Remember  the  days  of  old,  consider  the  years  of  generation  and  genera 
tion  ;  ask  thy  father,  and  he  will  show  thee :  thy  elders,  and  they  will  tell 
thee."  DEUT.  32 :  7. 

"  One  generation  shall  praise  thy  works  to  another,  and  shall  declare  thy 
mighty  acts.  They  shall  abundantly  utter  the  memory  of  thy  great  good 
ness,  and  shall  sing  of  thy  righteousness."  PSALMS.  145 :  4,  7. 

"  He  found  him  in  a  desert  land,  and  in  the  waste,  howling  wilderness. 
He  led  him  about;  he  instructed  him;  he  kept  him  as  the  apple  of  his  eye." 

DEUT.  32:  10. 

"  Oh  God,  forsake  me  not  until  I  have  showed  thy  strength  unto  this 
generation,  and  thy  power  unto  every  one  that  is  to  come."  PSALMS  71 : 18. 


INTRODUCTION. 


IN  the  year  1829,  the  clergymen  and  a  few  laymen  of 
Berkshire,  prepared  and  published  a  valuable  History  of  the 
County,  and  of  each  particular  town.  This  was  a  great  work, 
but  for  which,  the  present  collection  would  require  a  far 
greater  outlay  of  time  and  of  money,  while  much  valuable 
information  would  have  been  irrecoverably  lost ;  and  for  the 
prompt  offer  of  its  use  in  the  present  instance,  as  well  as  for 
the  numerous  other  aids  received  from  various  sources,  the 
heartfelt  acknowledgments  of  the  author  are  respectfully 
tendered. 

But,  valuable  as  is  the  "  History  of  Berkshire,"  copies  of  it 
are  now  scarce  among  us.  Nearly  another  generation,  too, 
has  passed  away,  and  removals  have  brought  changes  j  and 
while  Stockbridge  is  becoming  noted  as  a  place  of  resort,  and 
is  made  every  year  the  theme  of  the  poet,  the  painter,  or  the 
traveler,  and  the  shrine  even  of  the  pilgrim,  so  poorly  is  the 
office  of  cicerone  performed,  that  we  are  mortified  to  observe 
printed  errors  about  localities,  and  are  scarcely  able,  one  of 
us,  to  direct  visitors  aright.  Besides  this,  the  genealogical 
mania,  as  it  is  called,  but  better  termed  the  fulfilment  of  that 
prophecy — "the  righteous  shall  be  had  in  everlasting  remem 
brance,'7  is  giving  the  public  mind  an  interest  in  families, 
individuals,  and  places,  not  before  felt.  The  descendants  of 
Puritans  and  Huguenots  are  calling  upon  steam  and  upon 


10  INTRODUCTION. 

lightning  to  aid  in  the  commemoration  of  their  ancestors; 
and  they  who  at  first  bade  this  wilderness  "  blossom  as  the 
rose,"  and  others  who  have  continued  its  culture,  should  not 
be  forgotten,  even  though  the  sand  has  for  a  time  been  blown 
over  their  foot  prints,  and  the  flowery  sods  of  their  own 
beloved  valley  have  covered  them.  No,  let  their  tablet  find 
a  niche  in  every  dwelling,  and  their  memory  a  warm  corner 
in  every  heart. 

And  the  Red  Man  too ; — oh,  how  little  do  we  think  of  him  ! 
How  little  do  we  know  of  him  !  How  seldom,  how  very  sel 
dom,  does  the  public  prayer  ascend  for  the  children  of  those 
who  once  lived  in  these  valleys,  hunted  in  these  groves, 
angled  in  these  streams,  worshiped  where  we  bow,  and  were 
the  STOCKBRIDGE  CHURCH!  They  have  <k  melted  away5' 
indeed,  but  not  like  many  of  their  race.  They  still  have  a 
national  existence,  still  hold  the  religion  which  they  learned 
upon  this  spot,  and  still  love,  with  true  Indian  fervor,  the 
homes  and  the  graves  of  their  fathers  here.  Spiritually,  they 
were  once  cold  and  cheerless  as  the  drifts  which  covered 
their  hill  sides  ;  but  they  welcomed  the  beams  of  the  Sun  of 
Righteousness,  and  opened  their  hearts  to  his  holy  influence. 
No  hardening  process,  of  melting  to  tears  and  then  freezing 
again  to  adamant,  had  sealed  their  doom  :  and  drop  after  drop 
trickled  down,  until  the  icy  avalanche  became  a  fertilizing- 
stream  ;  and  now,  as  it  retraces  its  ancient  channel,  we  hear 
the  ll  God  speed  thee/'  from  those  who  have  stood  upon  its 
borders,  and  the  hearty  welcome  comes  from  the  far  off  land, 
verifying  continually  the  words  of  inspiration,  "  Godliness  is 
profitable  unto  all  things,  having  promise  of  the  life  that  now 
is,  and  of  that  which  is  to  come." 

In  arranging  the  materials  for  this  work,  the  aim  has  been, 
not  merely  to  make  it  interesting  as  a  book  to  be  read,  but 
convenient  as  a  book  of  reference  in  after  years.  If  the  aim 
has  been  too  high  for  one  of  humble  capacities  to  attain,  the 
instrument  proving  too  weak  for  its  noble  o$ice;  the  excuse 
must  be  that  it  was  not  undertaken,  or  even  projected,  but  at 
the  earnest  request  of  one  whose  judgment  we  are  habituated 
to  respect;  and  it  has  been  done  with  unfeigned  self-distrust 


INTRODUCTION.  11 

prompting  the  fervent  prayer — "  Oh  God,  thou  knowest  my 
foolishness,  and  my  sins  are  not  hid  from  thee.  Let  not  them 
that  wait  on  thee  be  ashamed  for  my  sake ;  let  not  those  that 
seek  thee  be  confounded  for  my  sake,  Oh  God  of  Israel." 
Puerile  though  the  performance  may  be,  it  is,  after  careful 
investigation,  believed  to  be  a  record  of  truths  \  and  for 
truth's  sake,  let  it  be  accepted. 

"  Sweet  is  the  virgin  honey,  though  the  wild  bee  hath  stored  it  in  a  reed ; 
And  bright  the  jeweled  band  that  circleth  an  Ethiop's  arm. 

I  magnify  mine  office, 

Albeit,  in  much  feebleness  I  hold  it  thus  unworthily; 
For  it  addeth  immortality  to  dying  facts, 
Shedding  upon  stocks  and  stones  the  tender  light  of  interest, 
Making  past  things  present,  and  availing  for  the  present  in  the  future. 
If  thou  lovest,  help  me  with  thy  blessing :  if  otherwise,  then  mine  shall  be 

for  thee,— 
I  work  for  GOD  and  good." 

THE  AUTHOK. 
STOCKBRIDGE,  December,  1852. 


STOCKBRIDGE, 

PAST    A^D    PEESENT. 


SECTION    I. 

THE    STOCKBRIDGE    INDIANS.       WHO    ARE    THEY? 

MANY  believe  the  Stockbridge  Indians,  and  their  kindred 
tribes,  to  be  remnants  of  the  Jewish  Nation  ;  and  that  they 
have,  at  some  period  of  their  national  existence,  possessed 
a  part  of  the  Jewish  Scriptures,  seems  very  evident.  But 
it  seems  equally  evident  that  they  are  of  Scythian  origin, 
descendents,  like  ourselves,  from  Japhet,  though  they  of  the 
second,  and  we  of  the  eldest,  son.  The  ancient  Scythians 
strikingly  resembled  our  Indians,  both  in  their  good,  and 
in  their  evil  qualities.  A  Scythian  speech  might  be  bor 
rowed  by  an  Indian,  and  be  pronounced  in  a  manner  per 
fectly  characteristic  of  his  race  ;  and  if  it  is  asked  why  the 
Indians  have  no  cattle,  when  the  Scythians  depended  upon 
them  both  for  food  and  for  clothing  ?  the  answer  may,  per 
haps,  be  suggested  by  the  Stockbridges,  when  they  tell  of 
the  famine  which  obliged  them  to  disperse  themselves  over 
the  country. 

The  Stockbridge  Indians  seem  to  be  of  the  Chippeway 
division  ;  and  Dr.  Dwight  remarks  that  their  language  was 
more  widely  spoken  than  any  other  Indian  tongue,  differ 
ent  dialects  of  it  being  used  throughout  New  England,  in 
Canada,  and  far  to  the  west  and  south.  When  found  by 
the  whites,  they  were  settled  along  the  eastern  part  of  New 
York,  and  in  those  parts  of  Massachusetts  and  Connecticut, 
2 


14  STOCKBRIDGE,  PAST  AND  PRESENT  ; 

which  border  upon  that  state.  By  the  English  they  were 
called  River  Indians  ;  but  those  who  lived  in  Berkshire 
County  came  afterwards  to  be  called  Housatonic  Indians. 
Their  proper  name  is  Muh-he-ka-neew  in  the  singular,  and 
Muh-he-ka-ne-ok  in  the  plural,  signifying  "  the  people  of 
the  continually  flowing  waters."  The  orthography  of  the 
word  does  not  however  seem  certain,  as  besides  the  above 
method  from  the  Berkshire  History,  it  is  spelled  Muh-he- 
ka-nuk  by  Mr.  Sergeant  in  1818,  and  by  the  Indians  them 
selves  at  different  times — Muh-he-con-nuk  which,  strictly, 
denotes  their  place  of  residence,  Muh-hea-ken-nuk,  Muh- 
hea-kenn-nuk,  Muh-hea-kun-nuk,  and  Muh-he-cun-nuk. 


SECTION     II. 

INDIAN  HISTORY. 

THE  History,  and  perhaps  we  may  say  the  entire  liter 
ature  of  the  Muh-he-ka-ne-ok,  was  treasured  in  the  minds 
of  a  succession  of  "  historians,"  each  of  whom  trained  one 
or  more  to  fill  the  office  after  his  death.  When  a  mission 
had  been  established  among  them,  and  youth  had  been  suf 
ficiently  instructed,  a  portion  of  this  literature  was  written 
down  for  preservation,  as  more  safe  in  a  civilized  commu 
nity  than  tradition.  Dr.  Dwight  seems  to  have  had  access 
to  a  perfect  copy ;  but  the  one  here  given  has  lost  its  first 
and  its  last  leaf,  and  no  traces  of  their  contents  have  yet 
been  discovered  except  what  can  be  gathered  from  his 
"  Travels."  The  History,  as  we  have  it,  was  sent  from  New 
York,  and  is  said  to  have  been  written,  "  doubtless,  by  Capt. 
Hendrick  Aupaumut."  Its  false  syntax  is  valuable,  rather 
than  objectionable,  as  it  furnishes  illustrations  for  the  treat 
ise  upon  their  language,  and  renders  that  section  more  per 
spicuous. 

According  to  the  extracts  made  by  Dr.  Dwight,  they 
came  from  a  country  northwest  of  Stockbridge,  having 
"crossed  the  great  water  at  the  place  where  this  and 
the  other  country  are  nearly  connected."  In  this  their 
traditions  resemble  those  of  the  Shawanoes,  who  say  that 


OR,  RECORDS  OP  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.  15 

their  ancestors  resolved  to  emigrate,  and  having  gathered 
upon  the  shore,  walked  over  to  this  Continent. 

"A  famine  compelled  them,''  says  the  Muh-hea-ken-neew 
History,  "  to  disperse  themselves  throughout  the  regions  of 
the  wilderness  after  sustenance — and  at  length  lost  their 
ways  of  former  living,  and  apostatized.  As  they  were  com 
ing  from  the  West,  they  found  many  great  waters,  but  none 
of  them  flowing  and  ebbing  like  Muh-he  ku-nuk,  until  they 
came  to  Hudson  River.  Then  they  said  one  to  another — this 
is  like  Muh-he-con-nuk,  our  nativity.  And  when  they  saw 
that  game  was  very  plenty  in  that  country,  they  agreed  to 
kindle  fire  there,  and  hang  a  kettle  whereof  they  and  their 
children  after  them  may  dip  out  their  daily  refreshment.  (The 
name  of  the  Hudson  was  Mahecanittuck.) 

u  As  our  fathers  had  no  art  of  manufacturing  any  sort  of 
metal,  they  had  no  implements  of  husbandry,  therefore  were 
not  able  to  cultivate  their  lands  but  little — that  of  planting 
shammonon,  or  Indian  corn,  beans,  and  little  squashes, 
which  was  chiefly  left  under  the  management  of  women, 
and  old  men  who  are  incapable  of  hunting,  and  little  boys. 
They  made  use  of  bone,  either  moose,  bear's,  deer's  shoul 
der  plate  instead  of  hoe,  to  hoe  their  corn  with — tie  it  fast  to 
one  end  of  a  stick  or  helve  made  for  that  purpose. 

"  Their  way  of  clearing  lands  was  not  so  difficult  as  we 
should  imagine,  arid  that  without  using  an  axe.  When  they 
find  that  their  fields  will  fail,  they  are  to  prepare  another 
piece  of  land.  In  the  first  place  they  do  make  fire  around 
the  foot  of  every  tree,  as  many  trees  standing  on  the  ground 
which  they  intended  to  clear,  until  the  barks  of  the  trees 
burnt  through;  for  trees  are  killed  very  easy  in  this  manner. 
They  planted  while  trees  are  standing,  after  they  are  killed. 
And  as  soon  as  trees  is  fell,  they  burnt  it  off  such  length  that 
they  might  roll  the  logs  together,  and  burnt  them  up  to  ashes. 
Thus  they  do  till  they  get  it  quite  clear.  An  industrious 
woman,  when  great  many  dry  trees  are  fallen,  could  burnt  off 
as  many  logs  in  one  day  as  a  smart  man  could  chop  in  two 
or  three  days  time  with  an  axe.  They  make  use  of  only  a 
Hthon-ne  tmuh-he-con,  or  a  stone  axe,  something  like  the 
shape  of  an  axe — helve  to  it,  as  of  the  hoe  already  mentioned, 
with  which  they  rub  the  coals  of  the  burning  logs.  But  the 
employment  of  men  was  consisted  in  hunting  and  fishing. 
They  used  bow  and  arrows  to  kill  game,  with  which  they 
were  very  expert.  They  also  used  to  catch  deer  by  insnaring 
them  with  strings.  By  hunting  they  supplied  themselves 
with  both  cloathing  and  diet.  They  seldom  feel  much  want, 
and  they  were  very  well  contented  in  their  condition  ]  hav 
ing  food  and  raiment  was  their  only  aim.  They  were  not  to 


16  STOCKBRIDGE,  PAST  AND  PRESENT; 

kill  more  than  necessary,  for  there  was  none  to  barter  with 
them  that  would  have  tempted  them  to  waste  their  animals, 
as  they  did  after  the  Chuh-ko-thuk  came  on  this  Island ;  con 
sequently,  game  was  never  diminished. 

"  They  hunted  occasionally  whole  year  ;  but  hunting  sea 
sons  are  properly  divided  into  two  parts  of  a  year.  In  fall 
they  hunt  for  deer,  bear,  beaver,  otter,  raccoon,  fisher,  martin, 
for  their  clothing,  and  drying  meat  for  the  ensuing  season  ; 
and  in  the  beginning  of  March  they  used  to  go  out  to  hunt 
for  moose  on  the  Green  Mountains,  where  these  animals  keep 
for  winter  quarters.  From  thence  they  go  again  for  beaver 
hunting  soon  as  the  rivers,  ponds,  and  creeks  are  opened,  but 
they  used  to  take  good  care  not  to  stay  over  two  months. 

"  And  as  our  ancesters  were  not  subject  to  so  many  disor 
ders,  or  sicknesses,  as  they  were  after  Chuh-ko-thuk,  or  white 
people  settled  amongst  them,  they  flourished  in  some  meas 
ure — that  before  they  began  to  decay.  Our  fathers  informed 
us  that  Muh-he-con-nuk  Nation  could  then  raised  about  one 
thousand  warriors  who  could  turn  out  at  any  emergency. 
Their  weapons  of  war,  besides  bow  and  arrows,  already 
described,  Puh-wy,  made  of  wooden  knot,  helve  to  it,  and 
Quen-neh-tuh  he-con,  or  long-cut,  and  Thut-te-con,  or  spear, 
made  of  bone  or  horn,  and  some  of  flinty  stone,  with  long 
helve  to  it.  They  also  wear  quiver,  commonly  made  of  otter 
skin,  which  contain  forty  or  fifty  arrows ;  and  in  battle  they 
use  shields  made  of  green  hide,  doubled  two  or  three  times ; 
and  when  it's  dry  so  hard  that  sharpest  arrow  cannot  pene 
trated.  They  also  wear  Hpe-thoon,  made  of  green  hide,  or 
breastplate. 

"Muh  he-con-nuk  Nation  formerly  deemed  to  be  the  best 
warriors  in  the  field,  truly  formidable  to  any  nation,  which 
still  acknowledged  by  the  western  tribes  ;  for  number  of  our 
nation  have  lived  among  almost  every  nation  in  westward 
to  this  day,  and  they  used  to  go  with  these  nations  in  all  their 
wars;  and  they  ever  proved  the  characteristicalness  of  their 
ancestors — Muh-he-con  ne-yuk. 

*'  And  our  forefathers  also  distinguished  in  peaceableness, 
whereby  they  had  allies,  even  the  remotest  nations;  and 
according  to  the  ancient  custom  many  of  these  nations  made 
renewal  the  covenants  with  us  which  their  forefathers  and 
ours  had  made,  with  belts  and  strings  of  wampum.  Some  of 
the  belts  and  strings  are  now  in  our  possession.  The  friend 
ships  which  our  forefathers  had  between  different  nations 
were  denominated  after  the  manner  of  common  relations. 

''And  according  to  the  ancient  covenant  of  our  ancestors, 
the  Delaware  nation  are  our  Grandfathers.  And  the  Shawa- 
noe  nation,  when  they  were  ready  to  be  devoured  by  their 


OR,  RECORDS  OP  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.  17 

enemies,  the  different  nations,  they  sent  runners  to  Muh-hu- 
con-nuk  for  help.  Then  our  forefathers  went  to  stand  between 
the  Shawanoe  and  the  different  tribes,  to  act  as  mediators,  and 
to  defend  them.  They  rescued  them  from  under  the  jaws  of 
their  enemies.  The  Shawanoe  nation  then  called  the  Muh- 
hu-con-nuk  nation  to  be  their  Elder  Brothers,  and  promise 
obedience  to  them,  which  they  still  acknowledged  to  this  day  ; 
and  they  are  our  Younger  Brothers,  or  Nkheeth-mon  nauk. 
Our  forefathers  then  removed  the  Shawanoe  nation  from  their 
native  country,  and  brought  them  as  far  as  Mkhau-wau-muk. 
There  they  left  them  under  the  care  of  the  Delaware  nation, 
their  Grandfather.  [See  Appendix  A.] 

"  Wmau-weew,  or  Miami  nation,  formerly  had  war  with  our 
nation,  and  when  they  were  conquered  they  obliged  to  sue 
peace;  and  when  peace  was  established,  they  enter  into  cov 
enant  of  friendship  with  our  nation,  and  kindle  fire  for  them, 
at  Kekioke,  near  the  head  of  Miami  River,  which  empties 
into  Lake  Erie,  and  voluntarily  given  them  a  large  tract  of 
land,  wherein  they  desired  them  to  live,  and  to  be  their  head  ; 
they  offered  obedience  to  them  as  grandchildren  ordinarily 
obey  their  grandfathers.  But  as  our  forefathers  loved  not 
superiority  over  their  fellow  Indians,  or  using  authority  as 
tyrants  over  any  nation,  they  only  accepted  the  present  given 
to  them  out  of  friendship,  remembering  that  it  may  in  time  to 
come,  our  children  some  occasion  or  other  would  come  and 
live  there.  From  that  time  the  tract  of  land  has  been 
reserved  for  our  nation  to  this  day,  and  that  covenant  had 
been  renewed  at  different  times,  and  a  number  of  our  nation 
live  on  that  land  these  several  years  past  to  this  day.  There 
fore  the  Miami  nation  are  our  Grandchildren  to  this  day  ;  and 
also  their  allies,  to  wit,  Wtuw-waw,  or  Uttawa  Nation,  Wchip- 
pow-waw,  or  Chipiwa  Nation,  Mi-si-sau-ky,  Pot-au-waut-om- 
meew,  Wnau-to-wuh-theh,  Wthau-keew,  Ke-kep  poow,  Pa-sa- 
ke-yah,  Wauw-yuh-ton-noow,  and  Mk-huth-ko-tau-weew. — 
All  these  nations  ever  acknowledged  this  friendship;  and 
whenever  they  met  any  of  our  people  they  call  them  IVluh-so- 
mis,  or  Grandfathers.  These  nations  inhabit  northwest  of 
Ohio. 

"  Kut-tooh-waw,  or  Cherokees,  are  our  younger  brothers, 
who  has  invited  us  to  move  our  fire-place  and  kindled  by  the 
side  of  their  fire  place  ;  they  offered  to  give  us  a  large  tract 
of  land  by  belt  of  beads  which  we  had  in  our  bag  to  this  day. 

"  Mush-oow,  or  Creek  Nation, — the  head  of  their  confede 
racy  also  manifested  their  friendship  with  us  with  belt  of 
wampum,  and  gave  us  invitation  in  like  manner  as  Chero 
kees  did. 

l'Wmin-theew,   Wnuh-thoow,     Kuh-nau-wau-lhuw — these 


18          STOCKBRIDGE,  PAST  AND  PRESENT  ; 

three  nations  are  our  brothers  according  to  the  ancient  cove 
nant  of  our  forefathers. 

"  And  the  Seven  Nations  of  Canada  are  our  brothers  also, 
who  has  renewed  that  covenant  with  us  last  Summer.  And 
part  ef  the  Six  Nations  are  our  Uncles,  to  wit,  Mohawks, 
Onondagas,  Cayogas,  and  Senecas.  But  the  Oneidas,  and 
Tuscaroras  are  our  brothers.  (The  Oneidas  were  younger 
brethren.) 

"  Our  ancestors,  before  they  ever  enjoyed  Gospel  revelation 
acknowledged  one  Supreme  Being  who  dwells  above,  whom 
they  styled  Waun-theet  Mon-nit-toow,  or  the  Great,  Good 
Spirit,  the  author  of  all  things  in  heaven  and  on  earth,  and 
governs  all  events  ;  and  he  is  good  to  all  his  creatures.  They 
also  believed  that  there  is  an  evil  one,  called  Mton-toow  or 
Wicked  Spirit  that  loves  altogether  to  do  mischief;  that  he 
excites  person  or  persons  to  tell  a  lie — angry,  fight,  hate,  steal, 
to  commit  murder,  and  to  be  envious,  malicious,  and  evil- 
talking;  also  excites  nations  to  war  with  one  another,  to  vio 
lated  their  friendship  which  the  Great,  Good  Spirit  given  them 
to  maintain  for  their  mutual  good,  and  their  children  after 
them. 

"  In  order  to  please  the  Great,  Good  Spirit  which  they 
acknowledged  to  be  their  dependence,  and  on  the  other  hand 
to  withstand  the  evil  one — therefore,  the  following  custom 
was  observed,  which  handed  down  to  them  by  their  forefath 
ers,  and  considered  as  communicated  to  them  by  Good  Spirit. 

"The  Head  of  each  family — man  or  woman — would  began 
with  all  tenderness,  as  soon  as  daylight,  to  waken  up  their 
children  and  teach  them,  as  follows  : — 

" c  My  Children — you  must  remember  that  it  is  by  the 
goodness  of  the  Great,  Good  Spirit  we  are  preserved  through 
the  night.  My  Children,  you  must  listen  to  my  words.  If 
you  wish  to  see  many  good  days  and  evenings  you  must  love 
to  all  men,  and  be  kind  to  all  people. 

"  l  If  you  see  any  that  are  in  distress,  you  must  try  to  help 
them.  Remember  that  you  will  also  be  in  distress  some  time 
or  other.  If  you  see  any  one  hungry  you  must  give  him 
something  to  eat;  though  you  should  have  but  little  cake, 
give  him  half  of  it,  for  you  also  liable  to  hunger.  If  you  see 
one  naked,  you  must  cover  him  with  your  own  raiment.  For 
you  must  consider  that  some  future  time  you  will  also  stand 
in  need  of  such  help;  but  if  you  will  not  assist,  or  have  com 
passion  for  the  poor,  you  will  displease  the  Good  Spirit ;  you 
will  be  called  Uh-wu-theet,  or  hard-hearted,  and  nobody  will 
pity  on  you  the  time  of  your  distress,  but  will  mock  at  you. 

"  •  My  little  Children,  if  you  see  aged  man  or  woman  on 
your  way  doing  something,  you  must  pity  on  them,  and  help 


OR,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.  19 

them  instantly.  In  so  doing,  you  will  make  their  hearts  glad, 
and  they  will  speak  well  of  you  And  further,  if  you  see 
your  neighbors  quarreling,  you  must  try  to  make  them  to  be 
good  friends  again.  And  you  must  always  listen  to  the 
instruction  of  old  folks  :  thereby  you  will  be  wise.  And  you 
must  not  be  hasty  to  speak,  when  you  hear  people  talking,  nor 
allow  yourself  too  much  laughing.  And  if  you  find  any 
that  will  speak  evil  against  you,  you  must  not  speak  evil 
words  back,  but  shut  your  ears  and  mouth  as  though  you  hear 
nothing,  and  shun  such  people.  And  you  must  never  quarrel 
to  any  person,  for  quarreling  is  belongs  to  evil  spirit,  and 
beast.  But  live  in  peace  with  all  people:  thereby  you  will 
please  the  Great.  Good  .Spirit,  and  you  will  be  happy. 

"'  My  little  Children — you  must  be  very  kind  to  strangers. 
If  you  see  stranger  or  strangers  come  by  the  side  of  your 
fire-place,  you  must  salute  them,  and  take  them  by  the  hand, 
and  be  friendly  to  them  ;  because  you  will  be  a  stranger  some 
time  or  other.  You  must  never  speak  any  harsh  word  to 
strangers,  but  use  them  well  as  you  can  ;  thereby  they  will 
love  you  and  will  speak  well  of  you  wherever  they  be:  and 
if  you  ever  come  into  a  strange  country  you  will  meet  with 
such  kindness.  But  if  you  will  not  be  friendly  to  such,  you 
will  be  in  danger  wherever  you  go. 

"  l  My  Children — again  listen.  You  must  be  honest  in  all 
your  ways.  You  must  always  speak  nothing  but  the  truth 
wherever  you  are.  But  if  you  should  love  to  tell  lie,  every 
body  will  take  notice  of  it ;  thereby  you  will  bring  a  bad 
name  to  yourself.  For  instance — whenever  people  shall  see 
you  walking,  they  will  say  one  to  another  with  scorn,  and 
point  at  you  l  look  at  that  liar!'  and  even  when  you  should 
bring  tidings  of  importance  with  the  truth,  they  shall  not 
regard  what  you  say. 

"•  '  My  Children — You  must  never  steal  anything  from  your 
fellow  men,  for  remember  this — you  will  riot  be  pleased  if 
some  of  your  neighbors  should  take  away  your  things  by  way 
of  stealing ;  and  you  must  also  remember  that  the  Great, 
Good  Spirit  see  you.  But  if  you  will  allow  yourself  to  steal, 
you  will  hurt  your  name,  and  disgrace  your  parents  and  all 
relations;  and  you  will  be  despised  by  all  good  people. 

•"  My  Children — you  must  always  avoid  bad  company. 
And  above  all,  you  must  never  commit  murder,  because  you 
wish  to  see  long  life.  But  if  you  commit  murder,  the  Great 
Good  Spirit  will  be  angry  with  you,  and  your  life  will  be  in 
great  danger;  also  the  lives  of  your  dear  relations.  ' 

"  l  My  Children — you  must  be  very  industrious.  You  must 
always  get  up  early  morning  to  put  on  your  clothes,  muk-sens, 
and  tie  your  belt  about  you,  that  you  may  be  ready  to  do 


20          STOCKBRIDGE,  PAST  AND  PRESENT  ; 

something ;  by  so  doing  you  will  always  have  something  to 
eat  and  to  put  on.  But  if  you  will  be  lazy,  you  will  be 
always  poor.  Your  eyes  shall  be  on  those  who  are  industri 
ous,  and  perhaps  you  will  be  shamefully  beg  or  steal;  and 
none  will  give  you  anything  to  eat  without  grudging. 

"'And  further,  my  Children — when  you  grown  up,  you 
must  not  take  wife  or  husband  without  the  consent  of  your 
parents  and  all  relations.  But  if  you  will  do  contrary  to  this7 
perhaps  you  will  be  joined  to  one  who  will  bring  great  dark 
ness  to  you,  and  thereby  you  will  be  very  unhappy. 

"  '  My  Children  — at  all  times  you  must  obey  your  Sachem 
and  Chiefs,  in  all  good  counsels  they  give  ;  never  to  speak 
evil  against  them,  for  they  have  taken  much  pains  in  promot 
ing  your  happi-ness.  And  if  you  do  not  observe  this,  you  will 
be  looked  upon  worse  than  the  beasts  are.' 

"  Thus  they  inculcate  instruction  to  their  children  day  after 
day  until  they  are  grown  up  ;  and  after  they  are  grown,  yet 
they  would  teach  them  occasionally.  Arid  when  young  peo 
ple  have  children  they  also  teach  theirs  in  like  manner. — 
This  custom  is  handed  down  from  generation  to  another;  at 
the  same  time  it  may  be  observed  that  there  were  some  that 
did  not  take  no  pains  to  instruct  their  children,  but  would  set 
bad  examples  before  them,  as  well  as  there  are  such  among 
civilized  nations.  But  such  men  were  roving  about,  and 
could  not  be  contented  to  stay  at  one  place. 

"  Our  ancestors7  Government  was  a  Democratical.  They 
had  Wi-gow-wauw,  or  Chief  Sachem,  successively,  as  wTell 
as  other  nations  had,  chosen  by  the  nation,  whom  they  looked 
upon  as  conductor  and  promoter  of  their  general  welfare,  and 
rendered  him  obedience  as  long  as  he  behaved  himself 
agreeably  to  the  office  of  a  Sachem.  And  this  office  was 
hereditary  by  the  lineage  of  a  female's  offspring,  but  not  on 
man's  line,  but  on  woman's  part.  That  is— when  Wi-gow- 
wauw  is  fallen  by  death,  one  of  his  Nephews,  (if  he  has  any) 
will  be  appointed  to  succeed  his  Uncle  as  a  Sachem,  and 
not  any  of  his  sons. 

The  Sachem  always  have  Woh-weet-quan-pe-chee,  or 
Counselors,  and  one  Mo-quau-pauw,  or  Hero,  and  one 
Mkhooh-que-thoth,  or  Owl,  and  one  Un-nuh-kau-kun,  or 
Messenger,  or  Runner;  and  the  rest  of  the  men  are  called 
young  men.  (But  the  Six  Nations  call  young  men  Warriors.) 
The  Sachem  is  looked  upon  as  a  great  tree  under  whos^shade 
the  whote  nation  is  sit.  His  business  is  to  contemplate  the 
welfare  "of  his  people  day  and  night — how  to  promote  their 
peace  and  happiness.  He  also  ever  take  pains  to  maintain  and 
brighten  the  belt  of  friendship  with  all  their  allies.  When 
he  find  any  business  of  public  nature,  he  is  to  call  his  coun- 


OR,  RECORDS  OP  AN  OLD  MISSION   STATION.  21 

selors  together  to  consult  with  them;  and  then  they  will 
determine  what  is  good  for  the  Nation.  The  Sachem  must 
be  a  peaceable  man — has  nothing  to  do  with  wars — but  he  is 
at  tinies  go  from  house  to  house  to  exhort  his  people  to  live 
in  unity  and  peace. 

"  The  Sachem  has  no  stated  salary  for  his  services  ;  for  it 
was  a  disgrace  or  reproach  any  man  to  ask  reward  for  any 
of  his  public  services  ;  but  whatever  he  does  for  his  nation 
must  be  done  out  of  friendship  and  good  will.  But  it  was 
the  custom  to  help  their  Sachem  voluntarily  in  building  a 
long  We-ko-wohm,  or  wigwam,  all  complete  ;  and  the  hunt 
ers,  when  they  returned  from  hunting  each  man  give  him  a 
skin.  The  women  also  at  times,  some  give  him  Mkith-non, 
or  Muk-sens.  some  belts  for  the  body,  others  garters,  and 
some  other  ornaments — as  wampum  to  be  for  his  own  use. 
They  are  also  to  bring  victuals  to  Sachem's  to  enable  him  to 
feed  strangers; — for  whenever  strangers  arrived  at  their  fire 
place  they  are  directed  to  go  to  Sachem's  house.  There  they 
stay  until  their  business  is  completed. 

"  The  Sachem  is  allowed  to  keep  Mno-ti,  or  peaceable  bag, 
or  bag  of  peace,  containing  about  one  bushel,  some  less. — 
This  bag  is  made  of  Weeth-kuhn-pauk.  or  bitter  sort  of 
hemp  ;  grows  on  intervals,  about  three  or  four  feet  long ;  and 
sometimes  made  of  Wau-pon-nep-pauk,  or  white  hemp, 
which  grows  by  the  side  of  rivers,  or  edge  of  marshes. — 
amazing  strong  and  lasting — of  which  they  make  strings,  and 
die  part  of  the  strings  of  different  colors ;  then  worked  and 
made  into  bag  of  different  marks.  In  this  bag  they  keep 
various  Squau-tho-won,  or  belts  of  wampum;  also  strings; 
which  belts  and  strings  they  used  to  establish  peace  and 
friendship  with  different  nations,  and  to  use  them  on  many 
occasions,  and  passed  as  coin.  In  this  bag  they  keep  all 
belts  and  strings  which  they  received  of  their  allies  of  differ 
ent  nations.  This  bag  is,  as  it  were,  unmoveable  ;  but  it  is 
always  remain  at  Sachem's  house,  as  hereditary  with  the 
office  of  a  Sachem;  and  he  is  to  keep  the  Pipe  of  Peace, 
made  of  red  hard  stone — a  long  stem  to  it.  Besides  this  bag, 
they  keep  other  smaller  bags  which  they  called  Ne-mau-won- 
neh  Mno-ti,  or  Scrip,  which  contains  nourishment  on  journey, 
which  they  carry  with  them  when  they  go  out  to  hold  treaties 
with  other  fire-places.  In  such  scrips  they  occasionally  put 
belts  and  strings  for  transacting  business  abroad.  When  they 
find  the  wampum  will  be  fall  short,  besides  what  is  kept  in 
the  bag,  the  Sachem  and  his  counselors  would  sent  their 
runner  to  gather,  or  collect  wampum  from  their  women, 
which  business  they  called  mauw-peen,  or  sitting  into  one 
place. 

2* 


22  STOCKBRIDGE,  PAST  AND    PRESENT  ; 

11  The  office  of  Counselors  was  not  gotten  by  hereditary, 
but  it  was  elective;  therefore,  the  wise  men  were  only  enti 
tled  the  office  of  Counselors.  They  are  called  Chiefs.  Their 
business  is  to  consult  with  their  Sachems  in  promoting  peace 
and  happiness  for  their  people.  They  will  also  at  all  times 
exhort  young  people  to  every  good  work. 

'<  The  title  of  Mo-quau-pauw,  or  Hero,  is  gotten  only  by 
merit ;  by  remarkable  conduct  in  the  wars,  by  great  courage 
and  prudence.  The  business  of  Heroes  in  time  of  peace  is  to 
sit  with  their  Sachem  and  Counselors  in  all  their  councils,  and 
to  confirm  their  agreements,  but  never  to  contradict  them;  for 
which  they  are  beloved  by  their  Sachem  and  Counselors,  and 
by  all  their  people.  But  when  any  warfare  is  sounded  in  their 
ears,  then  they  will  all  meet  together  to  hold  a  general  Coun 
cil  :  and  when  they  find  themselves  under  necessity  of  joining 
to  such  war,  then  the  Sachem  and  Counselors  will  put  the 
business  in  the  hands  of  Heroes,  exhorting  them  to  be  coura 
geous  and  prudent,  to  take  good  care  of  their  young  men. 
But  when  the  offers  of  peace  is  proposed,  then  the  Hero  will 
put  the  business  in  the  hands  of  the  Sachem  and  Counselors, 
who  will  cut  or  break  the  string  of  the  bow,  and  bury  the  Puh- 
wi,  and  by  certain  ceremony  or  emblem  wipe  off  all  tears  and 
blood,  and  cleanse  their  beds,  scattered  all  dark  clouds,  that 
they  may  enjoy  pleasant  days  again, 

"  The  office  of  Owl  is  come  by  merit  also  ;  who  must  have 
strong  memory,  and  must  be  good  speaker,  and  have  strong 
voice.  He  is  to  sit  by  the  side  of  his  Sachem  ;  his  business 
is  to  proclaim  the  orders  of  his  Sachem  to  the  people  with  loud 
voice.  And  he  is  also  to  get  up  every  morning  as  soon  as  day 
light.  Tn  the  first  place  he  is  to  make  noise  like  an  Owl,  then 
shouted  to  wake  the  people,  and  then  ordered  them  to  their 
respective  lawful  duties  for  the  day. 

"  And  the  business  of  the  Runner  is  to  carry  messages,  or 
carry  tidings  ;  and  he  is  always  ready  to  run.  He  is  to  give 
notice  to  the  people  to  attend.  And  when  they  go  out  anoth 
er  town  to  hold  council,  he  is  to  run  to  inform  the  Chiefs  that 
live  in  that  town  that  his  Chiefs  will  arrive— such  a  time. 
And  when  they  hold  treaty  with  any  nation  he  is  to  light  his 
Sachem's  Pipe.  And  he  must  be  man  of  veracity  :  for  if  he 
tell  a  falsehood,  his  feathers  will  be  pulled  off. 

"  Our  Nation  was  divided  into  three  clans  or  tribes,  as  Bear 
Tribe,  Wolf  Tribe,  and  Turtle  Tribe.  Our  ancestors  had  par 
ticular  opinion  for  each  tribe  to  which  they  belonged.  The 
Bear  Tribe  formerly  considered  as  the  head  of  the  other  tribes, 
and  claims  the  title  of  hereditary  office  of  Sachem.  Yet  they 
ever  united  as  one  family. 

"  And  at  the  death  of  Sachem  they  considered  as  though 


OR,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD    MISSION  STATION.  23 

their  light  is  put  out,  and  sitting  under  dark  clouds,  and  in  the 
situation  of  mourning,  until  another  is  appointed  to  succeed 
in  the  office  j  which  must  be  done  by  the  consent  and  appro 
bation  of  the  whole  nation.  Yet  no  other  person  has  right  to 
succeed  but  one  of  the  nephews  of  the  deceased  Sachem,  ei 
ther  the  eldest,  or  the  likeliest. 

tl  One  of  the  wisest  of  their  Counselors  is  employed  on  such 
occasions.  In  the  first  place,  when  all  things  are  ready,  He 
will  address  the  whole  Nation  as  follows, — 

"  c  My  friends — grand-fathers,  Uncles,  Brothers,  Cousins,  at 
tend.  You  also,  my  women— grand-mothers,  Mothers,  and 
Sisters,  listen.  You,  the  Children — you  must  also  hear  me  at 
tentively.  It  is  the  will  of  the  Great,  Wise,  Good  Spirit — our 
great  tree  has  been  fallen  to  the  ground,  and  great  darkness 
has  been  spread  over  our  fire-place  these  many  days,  where 
by  we  become  as  fatherless  children.  According  to  the  cus 
tom  of  our  good  ancestors,  and  by  the  help  of  the  Great  Good 
Spirit.  I  now  remove  all  dark  clouds  which  hangs  over  our 
fire-place.  [Strings  of  Wampum  delivered.] 

"  'Again  listen  :  I  now  raise  your  heads  which  has  been  hang 
downwards,  and  wipe  off  all  your  tears  from  your  face,  so  that 
you  may  see  clear,  and  open  your  ears  that  you  may  hear,  and 
set  your  hearts  right  again,  that  you  may  understand  distinct 
ly.'  r  [Strings  of  Wampum  again  delivered.] 

This  ceremony  has  passed  so  entirely  out  of  use  that  the 
Tribe  are  unable  to  give  the  remainder  ;  indeed  they  have 
not  retained  even  thus  much  of  this  interestiag  document. 
They,  however,  have  retained  their  wampum.  The  mean 
ing  of  a  belt  is  remembered  by  the  Indian  Tribes  in  this 
manner.  The  whole  body  frequently  assemble,  and  being 
seated,  each  piece  is  passed  from  hand  to  hand,  every  per 
son  repeating  the  words  as  he  takes  it.  Then  again  the 
color  conveys  some  idea.  A  blood-colored  hatchet  readily 
gives  an  impression  of  something  warlike,  while  white 
speaks  of  peace. 


SECTION    III. 

FURTHER     PARTICULARS    RELATING     TO     MANNERS,    CUSTOMS, 
RELIGION,    &C. 

THE  M uh-he-con-ne-ak,  besides  the  articles  of  food  men 
tioned  in  the  preceding  chapter,  manufactured  large  quan 
tities  of  Maple  Sugar,  And  indeed  we  seem  to  be  chiefly 


24  STOCKBRIDGE,  PAST    AND  PRESENT  ; 

indebted  to  them  for  the  knowledge  of  this  luxury,  for  as 
late  as  1749,  Mr.  Hopkins,  in  writing  of  Stockbridge  and 
its  Indians,  not  only  describes  its  taste,  and  the  manner  in 
which  it  is  made,  but  tells  what  it  is,  as  if  very  little  known. 

The  Squash,  too,  was  unknown  to  the  English  until  found 
among  the  Indians,  and  still  retains  a  part  of  its  Indian 
name — As-ku-ta-squash — in  English,  Vine  Apple. 

The  dress  of  the  natives  consisted  at  first  of  skins,  and 
in  the  house  the  mantle  was  frequently  dispensed  with, 
leaving  them  with  very  little  clothing.  After  the  establish 
ment  of  the  Mission  here,  the  Indians  were  left  to  choose 
their  own  mode  of  dress,  the  design  being  to  teach  them  the 
truths  of  the  Gospel,  rather  than  the  fashions  of  this  or  that 
country.  European  fabrics  had  already  taken  the  place  of 
their  own  raw  materials  ;  and  until  long  after  their  emigra 
tion  from  Stockbridge,  the  women  retained  the  full  sack,  as 
it  would  now  be  called,  and  the  broadcloth  shirt,  trimmed 
with  strips  of  scarlet  or  other  colors,  where  cheapness  was 
desired,  but  often  with  ribbons  of  various  hues,  making  a 
border  a  foot  in  depth.  Gaiters  were  worn  on  the  feet,  and 
a  beaver  hat  on  the  head.  The  aged  wore  it  plain  ;  but  the 
young,  besides  a  wreath  of  flowers,  added  ribbons  of  differ 
ent  patterns,  tied  around  the  crown,  and  left  to  hang  upon 
the  back  and  shoulders,  contrasting  gaily  with  their  jetty 
locks,  and  russet  faces.  A  small  Dutch  blanket  was  also 
tied  around  the  neck ; — an  article  of  dress  common  to  both 
sexes.  Since  their  removal  to  Wisconsin,  their  national 
costume  has  been  laid  aside,  and  that  of  the  English 
adopted. 

The  pipe  and  tobacco  bag  was  formerly  carried  by  the 
Indians  upon  the  back  ;  and  some  of  their  pipes  were  very 
large,  made  of  wood,  or  of  stone,  and  carved.  These, 
however,  were  generally  made  by  the  Man-qua-nogs,  or 
Man  Eaters.  Their  houses  were  built  of  long  poles,  cov 
ered  with  mats  in  the  winter,  and  with  finely  dressed 
birch  or  chestnut  bark  for  the  summer.  They  were 
lined  with  mats,  often  embroidered.  When  a  fort  was  to 
be  built,  or  a  new  piece  of  ground  was  to  be  broken  up, 
they  acted  upon  the  principle  that  many  hands  make 
light  work. 

The  natural  affections  of  the  Indians  were  very  strong. 
Old  Roger  Williams  says  that  "a  father  will  cut  and  stab 


OR,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD    MISSION  STATION.  "5 

himself  at  the  loss  of  a  son  ;  and  Mr.  Sergeant  speaks  of 
the  want  of  family  government  by  reason  of  excessive 
indulgence.  But  he  observes  that  they  were  "  naturally 
as  ingenious  and  good  tempered  as  other  people,  and  many 
of  the  little  children  very  pretty  and  agreeable,  and  seem 
ingly  needing  but  right  cultivation  to  form  their  minds  and 
manners  into  every  laudable  quality  and  action,  of  which 
human  nature  is  capable." 

On  entering  the  house  of  a  neighbor,  a  Muh-he-ke- 
neew  said  nothing  until  he  had  eaten ;  and  no  one  spoke 
to  him  ;  but  the  woman  of  the  house  immediately  set 
refreshment  before  him.  They  had,  notwithstanding  their 
great  reverence  for  their  ancestors  and  head  men,  no 
epithets  of  respect.  After  the  death  of  a  friend,  Mr. 
Williams  says,  the  New  England  Indians  bewailed  a  cer 
tain  time,  the  length  of  the  period  being  regulated  by 
circumstances ;  and  that  during  this  mourning  they  deemed 
it  wrong  to  play,  paint  for  beauty,  or  get  angry,  without  a 
particular  dispensation.  The  only  drink  of  the  uncontam- 
inated  Indian  was  cold  water ;  and  though  bis  physical 
constitution  seems  peculiarly  inclined  to  the  intemperate 
use  of  ardent  spirits,  no  people  have  groaned  more  pathet 
ically  under  the  burning  yoke,  than  this  race  have  often 
done.  For  an  example  of  their  feelings  upon  this  point 
see  Appendix  B. 

The  migrations  of  the  Indians  are  not  only  to  obtain 
food,  but  sometimes  to  obtain  fuel ;  and  hence,  when  the 
English  began  to  settle  in  the  country,  an  opinion  prevailed 
among  the  natives  that  they  had  burned  up  all  their  wood 
at  home,  and  were  driven  to  the  forests  by  cold.  Their 
constitutions  were  strong.  The  aged  seldom  used  a  staff. 
But,  as  the  historian  observes,  when  Chuh-ko-thuk  came 
among  them,  diseases  were  increased. 

They  had  a  rare  acquaintance  with  the  heavenly  bodies  ; 
even  the  children  could  tell  their  names  ;  and  it  is  an  in 
teresting  fact,  that  not  only  the  Muh-hu-con-ne-ok,  but 
other  New  England  Indians,  gave  the  name  of  "The 
Bear,"  and  "  Great  Bear"  to  the  same  constellation  which 
is  so  called  by  European  nations.*  Their  mythological 

*  Pau-kaun-na-waw.  in  the  language  of  the  eastern  Indians,  which 
is  '•<  The  Bear." 


26         STOCKBR1DGE,  PAST  AND  PRESENT J 

account  was  this  : — that  these  stars  were  so  many  men 
engaged  in  a  bear  hunt.  They  commenced  the  hunt  in 
the  spring,  and  by  autumn  had  wounded  the  animal,  so 
that  his  blood  was  falling  upon  the  forests,  and  dyeing  them 
with  those  beautiful  hues  of  the  season.  In  the  winter 
they  slew  him,  and  the  snow  was  but  his  dripping  oil.— • 
This  melted  in  the  spring,  and  furnished  the  trees  with 
sap.  The  Seven  Stars  they  believed  were  seven  Indians, 
who  had  been  translated  in  a  dance. 

Some  of  the  Rites  of  the  Muh-he-con-ne-ok  were  very 
interesting.  One  of  these  was  the  ceremony  of  offering  a 
deer  to  the  Great  Spirit,  believed  to  have  been  taught 
them  by  a  messenger  from  heaven.  It  was  a  thank  offer 
ing  by  some  individual  for  particular  or  for  general  bless 
ings.  The  deer  was  quartered,  and  laid,  with  the  skin 
over  it,  in  the  center  of  the  wigwam,  and  the  Priest,  pro 
tern,  offered  over  it  the  following  prayer,  shouting  at  the 
close  to  call  the  attention  of  the  divinity ;  "  Oh,  Great 
God — pity  us ;  grant  us  food  to  eat,  afford  us  good  and 
comfortable  sleep,  preserve  us  from  being  devoured  by  the 
fowls  that  fly  in  the  air.  This  deer  is  given  in  token  that 
we  acknowledge  thee  the  giver  of  all  things."  He  who 
made  the  feast  then  gave  the  priest  a  string  of  wampurn 
as  compensation  for  his  services,  and  distributed  the  sacri 
fice  among  the  guests,  after  boiling  it,  reserving  no  part 
for  himself.  During  the  performance  of  the  ceremony, 
waiters  were  employed  to  divide  the  feet,  skin,  &c.,  among 
the  poor  widows  of  the  settlement. 

Another  friendly  custom  was  the  Keu-ti-kaw,  or  dance, 
observed  twelve  months  after  the  death  of  any  member  of 
the  tribe,  and  designed  as  a  formal  close  of  the  mourning. 
Guests  were  invited,  not  only  from  among  the  neighbors  of 
the  deceased,  but  from  other  settlements  of  the  nation  ; 
and  all  brought  presents,  which  were  distributed  among 
the  bereaved,  with  words  of  consolation. 

These  ceremonies,  as  well  as  the  counsels  directed  to  be 
given  by  parents  to  their  children,  "  rising  up  early,  and 
teaching  them,"  certainly  speak  well  for  the  Muh-he-con- 
ne-ok  as  a  mild  and  generous  race,  far  removed  from  cru 
elty  and  other  low,  soul-chilling  vices  of  barbarism ;  and 
though  genius  and  romance  have  laid  to  their  charge  the 
crime  of  offering  human  victims  upon  the  beautiful  natural 


OR,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD   MISSION  STATION.  27 

altar  which  rises  from  our  village,  it  must  in  justice  be  said, 
that  no  trace  of  such  a  custom  can  be  found  either  among 
the  people  themselves,  their  historians,  their  rites,  or  their 
traits  of  character.  Many  thanks  have  gone  out  from  warm 
hearts  to  the  gifted  author  who  has  made  Laurel  Hill  a 
classic  ground,  not  only  for  "  the  tender  light  of  interest" 
which  she  has  "  thrown  on  stocks  and  stones,"  but  for  her 
just  and  kind  appreciation  of  the  general  virtues  of  the  In 
dian  character  ;  and  much  are  we  all  mistaken  in  our  esti 
mate  of  her  benevolence,  if  she  would  not  rejoice  to  ex 
change  her  painful,  but  beautifully  wrought  fiction,  for  an 
assurance  of  love  and  kindness  in-wrought  through  the 
whole  structure  of  Muh-he-con-neew  mythology. 

Another  English  tradition  has  been  widely  published, 
which  History  must,  in  faithfulness  to  its  trust,  disprove. 
The  Legend  runs  thus  :  "  An  Indian  Maiden,  having  con- 
"  ceived  a  love  which  she  could  not  conquer  for  a  youth 
"  who  was  her  cousin, — such  love  being  held  unlawful  by 
"  the  institutions  of  her  tribe, — in  mingled  despair  and 
"  remorse,  after  spending  the  day  on  the  top  ot  the  steep 
"  precipice  of  Monument  Mountain  in  decking  herself  with 
"  wild  flowers,  and  in  her  death  song  bewailing  her  fate, 
"  cast  herself  down  at  evening,  and  was  dashed  in  pieces  on 
"  the  rocks  at  the  foot.  A  heap  of  stones  is  said  to  have 
"  long  marked  the  spot  where  she  fell,  and  was  buried,  to 
"  which  each  Indian  visiting  it  was  bound  to  add  one." 

If  suicide  can  be  beautiful,  this  is  a  beautiful  story  ;  but 
is  there  not  enough  poetry  in  the  true  history  of  Stockbridge, 
so  that  we  may  ungrudgingly  yield  the  Jictitious  ?  The 
Indian  name  of  the  mountain  was  Maus-wau-se-ki,  or  Fish 
er's  Nest ;  and  it  was  a  common  saying  when  overcome  by 
grief — "  I  will  go  and  jump  off  Fisher's  Nest."  The  mar 
riage  of  cousins  too  was  forbidden.  But  beyond  this,  there 
is  no  foundation  for  the  Legend  to  be  gathered  among  the 
oldest  members  of  the  tribe.  The  story  has  been  circula 
ted  among  them,  and  believers  are  found  ;  but  none  among 
"  those  who  have  seen  mornings  in  Stockbridge."  Thirty 
or  forty  years  ago  the  tale  was,  that  an  "  Indian  woman 
jumped  off  for  a  jug  of  rum,"  but  to  go  still  farther  back, 
Mr.  Sergeant's  interpreter  informed  him  in  1734,  that 
though  they  still  threw  each  his  stone  as  he  passed,  they 
had  entirely  lost  the  knowledge  of  their  reason  for  doing  so. 


28         STOCKBR1DGE,  PAST  AND  PRESENT  ; 

He  supposed  it  might  be  an  expression  of  gratitude  for 
their  sate  return  to  the  place ;  but  all  certainty  was  lost 
then,  and  cannot,  of  course,  have  been  recovered  since. 

In  1771,  Benjamin  Kok-ke-we-nau-naut,  called  King 
Benjamin,  being  94  years  of  age,  resigned  his  office  of  Sa 
chem,  and  requested  his  people  to  elect  a  successor.  Solo 
mon  Un-haun-nau-waun-nutt  was  chosen.  But  Solomon 
died  in  February,  1777,  while  Benjamin  lived  until  April 
1781,  dying  at  the  advanced  age  of  104.  After  the  death 
of  King  Solomon,  the  government,  it  is  said,  devolved  upon 
Joseph  Quan-au-kaunt,  pronounced,  by  the  English  at  least, 
Quinney  hong,  and  now  generally  spelled  Quinney.  He, 
being  a  modest,  unassuming,  sensible  man,  shrank  Irom  the 
responsibility  of  his  high  office,  and  divided  his  power  more 
equally  with  his  counselors — Peter  Poh-quon-nop-peet,  (pro 
nounced  Ponknepeet,)  Capt.  Hendrick  Aupaumut  and  Capt. 
John  Konkapot.  Gratitude  to  the  English  led  the  Indians 
for  a  time  to  consider  themselves  subjects  of  the  crown  ;  but 
their  government  was,  and  still  is,  entirely  within  their  own 
body.  Mr.  J.  Sergeant,  the  younger,  prepared  a  Code  of 
Laws  for  them  while  in  the  State  of  New  York :  but  changes 
have  taken  place  since,  which  will  be  noticed  in  their  prop 
er  order. 

All  treaties  among  the  various  tribes  of  Indians  were 
confirmed  by  belts  or  strings  of  Wampum.  A  message  or 
treaty  delivered  without  Wampum  was  said  to  be  "  an 
empty  word."  The  Wampum  was  a  bugle  made  from  the 
sea-shells  gathered  upon  the  coa^t.  Among  the  eastern 
Indians,  and  probably  among  those  in  this  vicinity,  six 
white  bugles  were  of  the  value  of  a  penny,  and  three  of  the 
blue,  black,  red  or  purple,  when  used  as  coin.  Another, 
and  an  important  use  of  the  Wampum  was  its  substitution 
in  the  place  of  writing.  The  red  bead  signified  blood,  the 
black  or  dark  colors  had  a  severe  meaning,  while  white 
denoted  peace.  Then  ideas  could  be  conveyed  by  the 
various  figures  into  which  it  was  wrought,  a  red  hatchet, 
for  instance,  readily  suggesting  the  idea  of  war.  Thus,  not 
only  the  fact  that  a  treaty  had  been  made,  but  its  terms  could 
be  kept  in  mind,  and  the  various  circumstances  in  the  history 
of  a  nation  could  be  recorded.  But  the  wandering  habits 
and  the  untutored  mind  of  the  Indian  would,  after  all,  tend 
to  obliterate  from  their  memories  every  thing  beyond  the 


OR,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.  29 

leading;  facts,  and  a  historian  was  set  apart,  whose  office  it 
was  both  to  record  events,  and  to  store  up  in  his  own  mind 
the  facts  recorded  by  his  predecessors,  training  in  turn 
others  to  succeed  him.  Then  some,  and  perhaps  all  tribes, 
gathered  themselves  together  at  certain  seasons,  and  the 
historian  taking  a  piece  of  Wampum  from  the  bag,  repeated 
aloud  its  meaning,  and  passed  it  to  the  person  who  sat  next 
him,  who  followed  his  example ;  and  thus  each  piece  was 
recited  at  least  annually  by  every  member  of  the  tribe, 
male  arid  female. 

The  interpreter  employed  by  Mr.  Sergeant  informed  him 
that  he  well  remembered  the  time  when  the  worship  of  the 
Great  Spirit  was  not  universal  among  his  people,  some 
worshipping  the  Sun,  and  others  believing  only  in  chance. 
But  every  reader  of  the  Bible  must  trace  in  their  morning 
counsels  a  strong  resemblance  to  the  Old  Testament  pre 
cepts.  They  contain  just  that  system  of  morals  which  the 
unrenewed  heart  is  prone  to  draw  from  the  Bible,  and  to 
rest  in  for  salvation.  The  historian,  too,  informed  Dr. 
West  that  his  people  once  possessed  the  "  Good  Book 
given  by  the  Great  Spirit ;  but  that  having  lost  the  power  to 
read  it,  they  had  buried  it  with  a  chief."  And  is  it  too 
much  to  believe  that  they  did  once  possess  the  Jewish 
Scriptures,  and  from  them  derive  a  knowledge  of  the  true 
religion,  together  with  those  Jewish  ceremonies  observed 
among  them  ;  that  from  this  they  "  apostatized"  into  idolatry 
and  atheism ;  but  had  been  led  at  length  to  lay  aside  all 
visible  manifestations,  and  return  to  the  worship  of  the 
Unseen  ?  Other  circumstances  also  seem  to  favor  such  a 
theory.  In  1815,  Joseph  Merrick,  Esq.,  of  Pittsfield,  while 
scraping  the  ground  on  what  has  sometimes  been  called 
"  Indian  Hill,"  found  four  strips  of  parchment  enclosed  and 
sewed  water-tight  in  hard,  thick  leather,  having  the  appear 
ance  of  a  portion  of  the  trace  of  a  harness.  On  the 
parchment  was  written,  in  Hebrew  characters,  the  identical 
passages  of  Scripture  which  the  Jews  used  as  Phylacteries, 
viz.:  Ex.  13th,  llth  to  16th,  Deut.  6th,  4th  to  9th,  and 
llth,  13th  to  21st.  In  opening  the  case,  Esq.  M.  destroyed 
one  of  the  strips  ;  the  others  were  sent  to  the  Antiquarian 
Society.  For  the  account  of  another  similar  curiosity  also 
see  Appendix  C. 

When  the  Indians  would  confer  honor  upon  a  person, 


30          STOCKBRIDGE,  PAST  AND  PRESENT  ; 

and  y2t  not  raise  him  to  any  office,  they  had  a  method  of 
doing  it  by  conferring  upon  him  a  new  and  significant  name. 
As  this  custom  now  exists  among  some  of  the  Six  Nations, 
and  probably  as  it  was  observed  by  the  Muh-hu-con-ne  ok, 
a  speech  is  first  delivered,  after  which  the  individual  is 
taken  by  the  arm  and  led  around  the  circle,  the  chiefs  and 
warriors  joining  in  a  chant,  low  at  first,  but  swelling  into  a 
loud,  full,  wild  chorus.  He  is  then  conducted  to  his  seat, 
and  the  new  name  is  conferred  upon  him. 


SECTION    IV. 

THE  LANGUAGE  OF  THE    MUH-HE-K  A-NE-OK. 

[Gathered  chiefly  from  the  Treatise  of  President  Edwards  ] 

MATHER  says  of  the  Indian  Languages,  that  the  words 
seem  to  have  been  growing  ever  since  the  confusion  of 
Babel,  and  instances  Kiimmogkodonattoottummooetiteaon- 
gannunnonash,  —  our  question.  This  characteristic,  how 
ever,  is  more  striking  in  the  language  of  the  Six  and  Eastern 
Nations  than  in  that  of  the  Muh-he-ka-neew;  yet,  in  this 
last,  there  are  some  words  which  seem  to  end  only  when 
the  powers  of  the  throat  are  exhausted.  Take,  for  exam 
ple,  oh-quut-a-mou-we-nau-nuh,  and  an-neh-oh-quut-a-mou- 
woi-e-auk ;  and  the  difficulty  of  speaking  is  greatly 
increased  by  the  multiplicity  of  gutturals.  Gh  has  the 
strong  guttural  sound  which  the  Scots  give  to  the  same 
letters  in  the  words  enough  and  tough,  U  has  the  sound 
which  we  give  it  in  uncle,  though  much  more  protracted. 
"  E  final,"  says  Dr.  Edwards,  "  is  never  sounded  in  any 
word  that  I  write,  except  in  monosyllables  ;  but  the  other 
vowels  are  the  same  as  in  English.  W  is  a  mere  conso 
nant,  as  in  work."  Syllables  composed  only  of  conso 
nants  are  so  slightly  sounded  that  the  particular  vowel 
omitted  is  not  distinguished. 

Dr.  Edwards  observes  that  most  writers  who  spell 
Indian  words  from  sound,  use  the  letter  a  when  the  sound 
is  that  of  oh,  or  au  ;  and  great  mistakes  may  be  made  from 
a  want  of  understanding  between  the  parties.  For  in- 


OR,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.  31 

stance — if  a  man  hold  out  his  hand  to  an  Indian  to  know 
the  name,  he  may  receive  the  answer  "knisk" — thy  hand; 
but  if  he  touches  the  hand  of  the  Indian,  he  is  told  "nnisk  " 
— my  hand;  and  in  either  case  he  will  set  the  answer 
down  as  the  Indian  word  for  hand,  simply,  when  in  fact 
there  is  no  such  word  in  the  language.  These  circum 
stances  should  be  considered  when  words  are  given  in  dif 
ferent  dialects  to  show  a  similarity.  In  the  tables  below, 
the  Muh-he-ka-neew  words  are  given  by  Dr.  Edwards, 
whose  readiness  in  that  language  was  such,  that  during 
the  early  part  of  his  life  his  thoughts  ran  in  it,  rather 
than  in  his  mother  tongue,  and  the  Indians  themselves 
pronounced  his  knowledge  perfect.  The  Chippeway  and 
Shawanoe  words  are  gathered  by  him  from  other  authors, 
and  those  marked  R.  W.,  are  from  "  Roger  Williams' 
Key  to  the  Languages  of  the  New  England  Indians,"  pub 
lished  in  London  in  1643. 

Dr.  E.  asserts,  upon  his  own  authority,  that  the  lan 
guage  of  the  Muh-he-ka-ne-ok,  the  Delawares,  and  the 
various  New  England  tribes  was  radically  the  same ;  and 
from  the  authority  of  "  Capt.  Yoghun,  a  principal  Indian 
of  the  Muh-he-ka-neew  Tribe,"  and  from  Carver's  Travels, 
he  includes  in  the  list  as  originally  of  one  nation,  the  "  Pe- 
nobscots,  St.  Francis,  Ottowaus,  IVanticokes,  Munsees,  Men- 
omonees,  Messisaugas,  Saukies,  Ottagaumies,  Killistinoes, 
Nipegons,  Shawanoes,  Chippeways,  Algonkins,  Winneba- 
goes,  &c."  But  there  is  evidence  that  the  Munsees — a 
branch  of  the  Delawares,  as  also  the  Delawares  them 
selves,  were  of  the  Six  Nations,  whose  language,  he  says 
is  totally  unlike  that  of  the  Muh-he-ka-neew ;  so  that  it  is 
impossible  to  arrange  the  Indians  into  nations  upon  the 
evidence  of  language  only. 

Table  of  Indian  ^Vords. 

ENGLISH.  MUH-HE-KA-NEEW.       SHAWANOE.       CHIPPEWAY.      R.  W. 

A  Bear.  Mquoh.  Mau-quah.    Muck-wah. 

A  Beaver.  A-mis-que.         A-ma-quah.  A-mik. 

Ear.  Towoh-que.       To-wa-cah. 

House  Wee-ku-wuhm.  We-cu-ah.     Wig-waum. 

I  die.  Nip.  Nip. 

Dead.  Nboo-or-ne-poo.  Nee-poo. 

His  teeth.  We-pee-ton.       We-pee-ta-lee. 


STOCKBRIDGE,  PAST  AND  PRESENT  j 


ENGLISH.            MUH-HE-Ka-NEEW.       SHAWANOE. 

I. 

Ne-ah.             Ne-lah. 

Thou. 

Ke-ah.              Ke-lah. 

We. 

Ne-an-nah.      Ne-lau-weh. 

Ye. 

Ke-au-wuh.     Ke-lau-weh. 

Make  a  fire. 

Poo-tou-wah. 

A  Spirit. 
River. 
Good  for  naught. 
Shoe. 

Man-ni-to.  . 
Se-poo.             The-pee. 
M-til. 
M-kis-sin. 

The  Sun. 
Sit  down. 
Winter. 
How. 

Kee-sough. 
Mat-ti-peh. 
H-poon. 
Tu-neh. 

Marry. 
Where. 

Wee-ween. 
Te-hah. 

Go. 

Pu-mis-seh. 

Pout-wah. 

Man-i  tou.  Mannitto. 

Sip-pirn.     Scip. 

Ma-la-tat. 

Mau-kis-sin. 

Kis-sis. 

Min-ti-pin. 

Pe-poun.     Pa-pone. 

Tow-ne. 

Wee.  win. 

Tah. 

Pim-mous-sie. 

Roger  "Williams  gives  Scip,  for  a  river ;  Se-po-ese,  for 
a  little,  river  ;  and  Se-poe-mese,  for  a  little  rivulet.  The 
second  might  be  pronounced  Se-poe-se,  which  is  the  Indian 
name  for  Konkapot's  Brook.  He  also  gives  Pow-waw,  for 
a  priest ;  Nnin,  for  man ;  Nnin-nu-og,  for  men  ;  Squaws, 
for  woman  ;  Squaws-suck,  women  ;  Homes,  an  old  man  ; 
Home-suck,  old  men;  Pa-poos,  a  child;  No-na-nese,  an 
infant,  Sucki,  black ;  Nip-pa-wus,  the  sun  ;  Mun-nan-nock, 
tlit  moon,  &c.  The  Beaver  has  several  names,  but  all 
unlike  those  given  it  by  the  Muh-he-ka-ne-ok.  Indeed, 
the  languages  and  the  customs  seem  to  be  about  equally 
similar,  so  far  as  can  be  judged  by  illustrations  given  ;  in 
many  cases  they  are  alike,  but  in  many  others  unlike. 

The  Muh-he-ka-neew  has  no  diversity  of  gender,  and  of 
course  the  Indians  make  no  distinction  when  they  begin  to 
speak  English,  but  use  he  for  she.  The  plural  is  formed  by 
the  addition  of  a  letter  or  syllable,  as  Ne-man-nauw,  a  man  ; 
Ne-man-nauk,  men ;  pe-num-pau-soo,  a  boy,  pe-num-pau- 
soo-uk,  boys. 

Of  cases  they  have  but  one  variation  from  the  nominative, 
and  that  is  formed  by  the  addition  of  an,  as  wne-chun,  his 
or  her  child,  and  wne-chun-an,  which  equally  suits  either 
of  the  other  cases.  They  have  no  proper  adjectives  ;  none 
which  express  the  qualities  of  substantives,  but  use, 


OR,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.  33 

instead,  neuter  verbs,  as — Wnis-soo,  he  is  beautiful ;  Peh- 
tun-quis-soo,  he  is  tall ;  and  Dr.  Edwards  answers  the 
question  "how  these  verbs  do  not  become  adjectives?"  by 
saying  that  "they  have  all  the  same  variations  and  declen 
sions  of  other  verbs,"  as — 

N-pum-seh,  I  walk ; — (a  verb.) 

K-pum-seh,  Thou  walkest; 

Pu-mis-soo,  He  walketh ; 

N-pum-seh-nuh,  We  walk  ; 

K-pum-seh-muh,  Ye  walk ; 

Pu-mis-soo-uk,  They  walk ; 

and 

N-peh-tuh-quis-seh,  I  am  tall ; — (an  adjective.) 

K-peh-tuh-quis-seh,          Thou  art  tall ; 

Peh-tuh-quis-soo,  He  is  tall ; 

N  peh-tuh-quis-seh-nuh,  We  are  tall ; 

K-peh-tuh-quis-seh-muh,  Ye  are  tall ; 

Peh-tuh-ques-soo-uk,  They  are  tall. 
These  verbs  all  have  participles  ;  and  as  they  have  no 
relative  pronouns  answering  to  our  who,  and  which,  instead 
of  saying,  The  man  wlio  walks,  they  say,  The  walking 
man,  or  The  walker ;  and  the  participles  are  declined  in 
the  same  manner  as  the  verbs.  Again, — instead  of  saying 
He  is  a  man,  they  change  the  noun  Ne-man-nauw,  into  the 
neuter  verb  Ne-man-nau-woo,  avoiding  the  necessity  of 
auxiliary  verbs  ;  and  therefore  in  speaking  English  they 
say  "  /  man,""  ' '  /  sick,"  &c. 

To  express  comparison  they  use  an  adverb  with  the 
verb,  as: — 

An-nu-we-weh  wnis-soo,  He  is  more  beautiful ; 

Kan-nuh  wnis-soo,  He  is  very  beautiful. 

]STe-man-nau-woo,  He  is  a  man  ; 

An-nu-wee-weh  ne-maun-nau-woo,  He  is  a  man  of  superior 

excellence  or  courage  ;  and 

Kan-nuh  ne-man-nau-woo,  He  is  a  man  of  extraor 

dinary  excellence  or  courage. 

Besides  the  usual  pronouns,  they  express  both  the  sub 
stantive  and  adjective  pronouns  by  prefixes  or  suffixes, 
and  sometimes  by  both,  the  pronouns  for  the  singular  num 
ber  being  ^re-fixed,  and  then,  these  retained,  those  for  the 
plural  being  sw/*-fixed ;  the  vowels  also  being  changed,  and 


34  STOCKBRIDGE,  PAST  AND  PRESENT  ; 

transposed.  Thus — Tmoh-he-can,  is  a  hatchet;  Ndum- 
he-can,  in  which  o  is  exchanged  for  u,  and  placed  before 
the  TO,  is  my  hatchet;  U-tum-he-can,  his  hatchet;  N-dum- 
he-can-nuh,  our  hatchet  ;  K-tum -he-can -oo-wuh,  your 
hatchet ;  U-tum-he-can-noo-wuh,  their  hatchet. 

Many  of  the  appellatives,  as  father,  mother,  head,  hand, 
&c.,  ai  e  never  used  without  a  pronoun  prefixed  or  affixed. 
Muh-he-ka-neew  can  say  Nogh,  my  fathtr,  and  Kogh, 
thy  father,  &c. ;  but  not  father,  absolutely  ;  there  is  no 
such  word  as  Ogh  in  the  language.  Objects  however 
which  do  not  always  have  an  owner,  are  spoken  of  abso 
lutely. 

The  pronouns  are  prefixed  and  affixed  to  verbs,  in  the 
same  manner.  They  never  use  a  verb  without  a  nomina 
tive  or  agent,  and  never  use  a  transitive  verb  without 
expressing  both  the  agent  and  the  object.  They  cannot 
gay  To  love,  I  love,  Thou  givest,  &c. ;  but  say  Nduh-whu- 
nuw,  I  love  him  or  her ;  Nduh-whun-tam-min,  I  love  it, 
&c. ;  yet  they  have  the  abstract  words — love,  hate,  and 
the  like. 

Another  peculiarity  is  that  the  nominative  and  objective 
pronouns  prefixed  and  suffixed,  are  always  used,  even 
though  other  nominatives  and  objectives  are  expressed. 
Thus — they  cannot  say,  John  loves  Peler ;  but,  John 
u-dah-whun-nuw  Peteran  —  John  he  loves  him  Peter. 

Again,  the  pronoun  in  the  objective  case  is  sometimes 
expressed  in  the  same  instance  by  both  a  prefix  and  a 
suffix ;  as  K-thu-wlm-nin,  /  love  thee  ;  in  which  the  k 
prefixed,  and  the  in  suffixed,  both  unite  to  express,  and  are 
both  necessary  to  express  the  objective  case — thee. 

They  have  a  past,  and  a  future  tense,  but  generally  use 
the  present,  as — Wnu-ku-woh  ndi-o-tu-woh,  Yesterday  1 
Jight ;  when  the  addition  of  poh  to  the  last  word  would 
express — Yesterday  I  fought.  Ndi-o-tu-wauch  wup-koh, 
is — I  shall  fight  to-morrow;  and  Wup-kauch  ndi-o-tu-woh, 
To-morrow  I  fight.  But  in  this  last  case  the  change  is  in 
the  word  to-morrow,  and  not  in  the  verb  Jight. 

There  are  few  prepositions  in  the  language,  and  those 
are  rarely  used,  except  in  composition.  For  instance — 
An-neh  is  to,  and  E-cheh  is  from  ;  but  they  are  oftenest 
expressed  by  a  change  in  the  verb.  Ndogh-peh,  is — / 
ride  ;  but  /  ride  to  Wnogh-que-too-koke,  (or  Stockbridge, 


OR,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.  35 

— generally  spelled  Wnahk-tu-kook) — is  not  written — An- 
neh  Wnogh-que-too-koke  ndogh-peh,  but  \Vn<  gh-que-too- 
koke  ndin-ne-togh-peh  ;  and,  /  ride  from  Wnogh-quc-too- 
kokt'.,  is  written — Wnogh-que-too-koke  no-che-togh-peh. 
And  these  prepositions  may  be  thus  compounded  with  any 
other  verb. 

The  third  person  singular  seems  to  be  the  radix  of  the 
persons  of  their  verbs  in  the  indicative  mood,  but  the  sec 
ond  person  singular  of  the  imperative  is  the  simplest  of 
any  form  ;  as — 

Meet-seh,  Eat  thou ; 

Meet-soo,  He  eateth  ; 

Nmeet-seh,  I  eat ; 

Kmeet-seh,  Thou  eatest. 

The  Muh-he-ka-ne-ok  distinguish  between  the  various 
family  relations  in  a  different  manner  from  the  English. 
Ne-toh-con,  is  the  epithet  by  which  an  Elder  Brother  is 
distinguished,  N-mase  is  an  Elder  Sister,  and  Nghee-sum 
is  Younger  Brother  or  Sister.  N-sase  is,  My  Uncle,  by 
my  Mother's  side,  and  Nuch-eh-que  is,  My  Uncle,  by  my 
Father's  sid<?. 

From  these  items  of  Indian  grammar  it  may  readily  be 
seen  why  Indians  who  are  in  the  habit  of  speaking  their 
own  language,  of  hearing  it  from  the  pulpit,  and  of  writing 
it  among  themselves,  make  many  mistakes  in  syntax  when 
they  attempt  to  speak  or  write  English.  No  argument 
should  be  deduced  from  this  to  their  discredit  as  men  of 
education ;  indeed,  the  writings  of  well  educated  English 
people  who  live  among  them,  previous  to  correction  for  the 
public  eye,  are,  to  say  the  least,  as  erroneous  as  many 
compositions  of  the  Indians  themselves  ;  and  Mr.  Sergeant, 
the  elder,  is  the  only  adult  among  us  who  is  known  to  have 
spoken  Muh-he-ka-ncew  perfectly.  Let  us  be  fair,  and 
acquire  their  languages  before  we  call  them  ignorant,  simply 
because  they  speak  ours  incorrectly. 

When  a  modern  impostor  visited  the  New  York  Indians, 
proclaiming  her  divine  mission  and  character,  one  of  them 
attempted  to  address  her  in  his  native  tongue.  "  Speak  to 
me  in  English,"  said  she,  "  I  cannot  understand  Indian." 
"  What !"  answered  an  old  woman  in  the  crowd,  u  You  be 
Jesus  Christ,  and  can't  understand  poor  Indian  ?  Jesus 


36          STOCKBRIDGE,  PAST  AND  PRESENT  ; 

Christ  made  poor  Indian,  and  he  can  understand  him  when 
he  pray."     ISuch  a  test  effectually  silenced  the  prophetess." 

The  following  translations  may  seem  to  us  but  unmeaning 
jargons ;  but  whether  "  Our  Father"  be  spoken  in  the  sacred 
Hebrew,  the  languages  of  the  most  polished  nations,  or  the 
rude,  unwritten  dialects  of  savage  tribes,  it  is  the  same 
"  Our  Father"  still ;  the  same  in  its  heavenly  origin  ;  the 
same  in  its  solemn  truths,  and  the  same  in  the  ear  of  the 
Universal  Father  who  listens,  and  of  the  Elder  Brother 
who  taught  it  to  the  great  family  of  men.  Instead  then  of 
being  a  mere  curiosity,  and  being  read  as  if  it  had  no 
meaning,  each  new  translation  may  well  be  considered  as 
another  instrument  in  the  sacred  band  of  harmonious 
worship,  another  foretaste  of  that  day  when  every  kindred, 
and  tongue,  and  nation,  shall  unite  in  fraternal  communion, 
ascribing  glory  and  honor,  and  power,  to  Him  that  sitteth 
upon  the  throne,  and  to  the  Lamb — forever  and  ever. 
Translation  by  APOSTLE  ELIOT  into  the  language  of  the 
Eastern  Indians  of  New  England. 

Naslien  ke-suk-qut,  Our  Father  heaven  in  ;  Qut-tian-at- 
a-mu-na,  hallowed;  Kto-we-su-onk,  Thy  name;  Pe-you- 
mutch,  come ;  Kuk-ke-tas-su-ta-moonk,  Thy  kingdom , 
Kut-ten-an-ta-moonk-nen,  Thy  will;  nach-oh-keit,  done 
earth  on  ;  ne-ane,  as  ;  ke-suk-qut,  heaven  in.  Nam-meet- 
su-on-gash,  Our  food ;  a-se-ku-suk-o-kish.  daily  ;  a-san- 
c&u-nc-an,  give  us ;  \eu-yeu  ke-su-kod,  this  day  ;  kali,  and; 
ah-uuan-ta-maun-ne-an,  forgive  us ;  num-match-e-se-on- 
gash,  our  sins ;  ne-ane,  as ;  rnat-che-ne-kuk-quen-gid, 
wicked  doers ;  nu-tah-quon-ta-moun-no-nog,  we  forgive 
them ;  ah-que,  also  ;  sag-kom-pa-gu-nai-in-nean,  lead  us  ; 
en  qutch-hu-a-on-ga-nit,  not  temptation  in.  We-he,  Oh  ; 
poh-quoh-wus-sin-nean,  deliver;  witch-match,  evil;  i-tut, 
from  ;  ne-wut-che,  for  ;  ku-tah-taun,  thine ;  ke-tas-su-ta- 
monk,  kingdom ;  kah,  and ;  me-nuh  ke-su-onk,  power ; 
kah,  and ;  soh-su-moonk,  glory ;  mi-cheme,  forever ; 
AMEN. 

Dialect  of  the  Six  Nations. 

So-ang-wau-ne-ha  cau-rounk-yaw-ga  teli-see-ta-roan 
sauh-sone-you-sta  esa  sa-wa-na-you  o-ket-tauh-se-la  eh- 
neau-wo-ung  na  cau-rounk-yaw-ga  nugh-won-shau-ga  ne-a- 
te-weh-ne-sa-lau-ga  taug-wau-nau-to-ro-no-an-ough-sick  to- 


OR,   RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD   MISSION  STATION.  37 

an-taug-wc-lee-whe-you-sta-ung  che-nee-yeut  cha-qua-tau- 
leh-whe-you-staun-na  tough-sou  taug-waus-sa-re-neh  ta- 
wau  tot-te-nau-ga-loitgh-toung-ga  na-sa\v-ne  sa-che-au-taug- 
was  co-an-teh-sa-le-haun-za-ic-kaw  esa  sa-wau-ne-you  esa 
sa-shouty-ta  esa  soung-wa-soung  chen-ne-au-haung-wa ; 
AUWKN. 

Dialect  of  the  Stockbridgc  Indians,  called  by  PRESIDENT 
EDWARDS,  the  Mohegan. 

Nogh-nuh,  ne-spum-muck  oi-e-on  taugh  mau-weh  wneh 
wtu-ko-sea-uk  nean-ne  un-nu-woi-e-on.  Taugh-ne  aun- 
chu-wu-tam-mim  wa-weh-tu-seek  ma-weh  noli  pum-mek. 
Ne-an-noi-hit-teech  mau-weh  u-wau-neek  noh  h-key 
oi-ech-cek  ne  an-nchu-wu-tam-mun,  ne  au-noi-hit-tut  neek 
spum-muk  oi-ech-eck.  Me-nc-nau-nuh  noo-noh  wuh-ka- 
mauk  t-quogh  null  uli-hu-yu-ta-mauk  ngum-mau-weh. — 
Oh-quut-a-mou-we-nau-nuh  au-neh  mu-mach-oi-e-au-keh, 
ne  an-neli  oh-quut-a-mou-woi-e-auk  num-peh  neek  mu- 
mach-eh  an-ne-lio-quauk-eek.  Cheen  hquuk-quauch-eh 
si-uk-eh  an-ne-he-nau-nuli.  Pan-nee-weh  h-tou-we-nau- 
nuh  neen  maum-teh-keh.  Ke-ah  ng-weh-cheh  kwi-ou-wan- 
weh  mau-weh  noh  pum-meh  ;  ktan-woi ;  es-tali  a-waun 
wtin-noi-yu-wun  ne  au-noi-e-you ;  han-wee-weh  ne  ktin- 
noi-een.  AMEN. 

It  is  the  opinion  of  Mr.  Byington,  missionary  to  the 
Choctaws,  that  many  long  words  in  the  Indian  languages 
are  as  really  sentences  as  those  which  they  express  are 
sentences  in  ours,  and  that  it  is  only  the  rapid  enunciation 
of  the  savage  tribes,  or  their  habit  of  drawing  one  word 
into  another,  which  has  deceived  those  who  have  translated 
Indian  dialects,  lie  says  that  such  is  the  case  with  the 
Choctaws,  and  that  for  a  time  the  missionaries  were  led 
into  a  mistake ;  and  he  believes  that  Mr.  Sergeant  was  in 
the  same  error  when  he  translated  the  Catechism. — 
Whether  or  not  this  could  have  been  the  case  with  Pres. 
Edwards,  linguists  must  decide  for  themselves.  He  cer 
tainly  appears  to  have  understood,  not  only  the  sound,  but 
the  structure  of  the  language,  and  Mr  Slingerland,  of  the 
Stockbridge  tribe,  replies  to  the  remark  of  Mr.  Byington 
that  he  "  supposes  the  southern  tongues  unlike  theirs," 
3 


STOCKBKIDGE,  PAST  AND  PRESENT  ; 

SECTION     V. 

TIRST    PURCHASE    OF    LAND    IN    HOUSATONIC. 

ALTHOUGH  the  Charier  of  Massachusetts  Bay  extended 
from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific,  the  Dutch,  who  were  not 
liked  as  neighbors,  had  settled  along  the  Uudson  ;  and  for 
this  reason,  and  through  fear  of  the  descent  of  the  French 
and  Indians  from  Canada,  the  west  part  of  Massachu 
setts  was  the  last  to  be  settled,  and,  indeed,  for  a  century 
after  the  settlement  of  the  coast,  was  but  little  known. 

"In  1722,  Joseph  Parsons,  and  176  others,  living  in  the 
County  of  Hampshire,  petitioned  the  General  Assembly 
of  Massachusetts  for  two  townships,  within  the  said  county, 
upon  the  river  Housatonic,"  the  County  of  Hampshire,  at 
that  time,  extending  to  the  line  of  the  Dutch  settlements. 
The  petition  was  granted  Jan.  30,  1722,  and  a  committee 
appointed  to  make  the  purchase  of  the  Indians,  divide  the 
tract,  and  admit  settlers.  The  towns  were  to  be  seven 
miles  square,  and  land  was  "  to  be  reserved  for  the  first 
settled  minister,  for  the  future  support  of  the  Gospel,  and 
for  schools."  Each  proprietor  was  to  pay  thirty  shillings  ; 
and  this  fund  was  to  purchase  the  land,  lay  it  out,  and 
build  churches  and  school  houses.  The  committee  met  at 
Springfield,  March  19,  1723,  and  received  the  names  of 
55  settlers,  and  on  the  25th  of  April,  1724,  the  Indians 
gave  a  deed  of  the  whole,  signed  by  Konkapot  and  twenty 
other  Indians  at  Westfield,  "  in  consideration  of  £450,  3 
barrels  of  cider,  and  30  quarts  of  rum." 

Within  this  tract  was  included,  besides  other  towns,  the 
greater  part  of  Stockbridge  and  West  Stockbridge.  A  few 
families  of  Indians  lived  on  the  south  of  Green  River, 
near  the  line  between  Barrington  and  Sheffield,  forming  a 
village  called  Ska-te-hook,  and  the  line  of  purchase  was 
run  so  as  not  to  disturb  them.  The  time  had  been  when 
the  natives  were  more  numerous  in  Great  Barrington,  and 
their  utensils  and  weapons  of  Indian  manufacture  were 
often  found.  A  "  Great  Wigwam,"  or  Castle,  as  it  was 
sometimes  called,  stood  on  the  bank  of  the  river,  half  a 
mile  below  the  bridge  afterwards  built  by  the  whites,  and 


OR,  RECORDS  OP  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.  39 

tradition  says  that  the  spot  was  once  the  site  of  "  a  consid 
erable  settlement."  Three-fourths  of  a  mile  above  the 
bridge,  an  Indian  burial  ground  has  been  discovered.  A 
few  families  also  lived  in  New  Marlborough,  others  in 
Pittsfield,  then  Poontoosuc,  or  Field  of  the  Winter  Deer, 
and  others  still,  in  this  place,  called  by  them  W-nahk-ta- 
kook,  or  The  Great  Meadow.  The  cabin  of  Konkapot 
stood  uj;  on  a  knoll,  on  the  east  side  of  the  Barrington  road, 
and  a  few  rods  north  of  the  brook  which  bears  his  name. 
He  gave  to  his  friend  and  interpreter,  Jehoiakim  Van 
Valkenburgh,  40  acres  of  meadow,  and  250  acres  of 
upland  adjoining.  The  house  of  Van  Valkenburgh  stood 
on  the  site  since  occupied  by  Mr.  Francis  Dresser ;  and  of 
course  the  meadow  lay  at  the  west  end  of  what  is  now  our 
village,  and  the  upland  was  on  the  southern  slope  of  the 
hill.  A  few  other  Dutch  families  had  settled  here  previ 
ous  to  1734.  Umpachenee,  another  distinguished  Indian, 
resided  in  Ska-te-hook.  The  name  is  now  spelled 
Au-pauch-chi-nau.  The  Charter,  given  by  Gov.  Belcher, 
is  preserved  in  this  town. 


SECTION    VI. 

DAY-BREAK    IN    HOUSATONIC. 

"  KONKAPOT,  the  principal  man  among  the  Muh-he-ka- 
ne-ok  of  Massachusetts,  was,"  says  Mr.  Hopkins,  "  strictly 
temperate,  very  just  and  upright  in  his  dealings,  a  man  of 
prudence  and  industry,  and  inclined  to  embrace  the  Chris 
tian  religion ;"  but  he  had  two  objections ;  one,  the  fear 
that  his  people  would  discard  him,  and  the  other,  the  sad 
truth  that  the  conversation  of  the  Christians  about  him 
was  even  worse  than  that  of  the  heathen.  This  coming 
"  accidentally,"  (providentially  ?)  to  the  knowledge  of  Mr. 
Hopkins,  minister  of  West  Springfield,  through  his  neigh 
bor,  Mr.  Ebenezer  Miller,  he  resolved  that  the  Gospel 
should  be  preached  to  them,  not  by  the  lives  of  mere  nom 
inal  Christians,  but,  God  granting,  in  its  purity  and  power  ; 
and  having  learned,  the  May  preceding,  that  funds  were 
deposited  by  the  "  Society  for  the  Promotion  of  the  Gos- 


40  STOCKBRIDGE,  PAST  AND  PRESENT  J 

pel  in  Foreign  parts,"  in  the  hands  of  Commissioners  in 
Boston  for  such  purposes,  and  knowing  also  that  John 
Stoddard,  Esq.,  of  Northampton,  was  most  intimately 
acquainted  with  the  state  of  the  Indian  Tribes,  he  visited 
him,  March  11,  1734.  Of  Esquire  Stoddard  he  learned 
that  the  River  Indians  were  the  largest  of  any  tribe  near 
the  English  settlements  ;  that  the  prospect  of  doing  them 
good  was  greater  than  was  afforded  at  the  Forts,  where 
missionaries  had  been  stationed,  and  yet  that  nothing  had 
been  done  to  civilize  them — worse  than  nothing  to  christian 
ize  them.  His  next  step  was  to  confer  with  Rev.  Stephen 
Williams,  D.  1).,  of  Longmeadow,  one  of  the  "  Redeemed 
Captives,"  and  at  their  request  Rev.  William  Williams  of 
Hatfield,  wrote  to  the  Commissioners,  and  they  immediately 
requested  Dr.  Williams  and  Mr.  Hopkins  to  make  a  journey 
to  Housatonic  and  ascertain  the  feelings  of  the  Indians 
upon  the  subject.  But  as  Governor  Belcher  had  conferred 
a  Captain's  commission  upon  Konkapot,  and  the  commission 
of  Lieutenant  upon  Umpachenee,  and  they  would  be  obliged 
to  come  to  Springfield  to  receive  them,  Mr.  Hopkins  and 
Dr.  Williams  thought  best  to  confer  with  them  first ;  and 
accordingly  called  at  their  lodges,  May  22d,  and,  through 
Van  Valkenburgh,  proposed  the  subject  to  them.  Captain 
Konkapot  seemed  very  earnest,  and  Umpachenee  said  that 
he  would  not  oppose;  still,  they  could  speak  only  for 
themselves,  and  wished  the  ministers  to  visit  the  Tribe 
and  gain  the  consent  of  all ;  and  July  was  fixed  upon  as 
the  time  for  the  journey.  When  that  time  arrived  Mr. 
Hopkins  was  sick,  and  Rev.  Nehemiah  Bull  of  Westfield 
took  his  place.  A  road  had  been  cut  through  the  wilder 
ness  since  the  purchase  of  Housatonic,  but  it  lay  over  the 
rugged,  as  a  less  evil  than  the  wet ;  and  those  acquainted 
with  the  face  of  the  country  between  Springfield  and 
Stockbridge,  may  perhaps  form  some  conception  of  the 
pleasure  of  the  trip.  July  8,  1734,  however,  they  arrived 
safely  in  Housatonic,  and  were  cordially  welcomed  by 
Capt.  Konkapot.  The  people  being  assembled,  they  asked 
four  days  to  consider  the  subject ;  and  at  the  end  of  that 
time  all  gave  in  their  names  to  the  ministers  as  tokens  of 
their  assent,  and  received  a  belt  of  wampum  in  confirma 
tion  of  the  agreement.  Lieut.  Umpachenee  was  now  as 
cordial  as  Capt.  Konkapot. 


OR,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.  41 

SECTION   VII. 

ESTABLISHMENT    OF     THE     MISSION. 

long  after  the  return  of  the  ministers,  Dr.  Wil 
liams  waited  upon  the  Commissioners  at  Boston — viz., 
Gov.  Belcher,  Dr.  Colman,  Dr.  Sewall,  Esquires  T.  and 
E.  Hutchinson,  and  T.  Steel,  and  A.  Winthrop,  Esqrs., — 
acquainting  them  with  the  good  disposition  of  the  Indians. 
The  Commissioners  were  satisfied  with  the  report,  and 
Aug.  16,  appointed  Messrs.  Williams  and  Bull  a  committee 
to  seek  some  suitable  person  for  the  office  of  missionary, 
offering  him  £100  a  year  for  his  support. 

Mr.  JOHN  SERGEANT,  a  native  of  Newark,  New  Jer 
sey,  was  at  the  time  a  Tutor  in  Yale  College.  He  had 
been  heard  to  say  that  he  would  prefer  the  life  of  a  mis 
sionary  among  the  Indians  to  any  other ;  and  this  being 
reported  to  the  Committee,  they  made  application  to  him 
in  September.  He  replied  that,  with  the  consent  of  the 
Rector  and  Trustees,  he  would  agree  to  spend  one  half 
of  the  year  with  the  Indians  until  he  should  have  carried 
his  pupils  through  their  course  of  studies,  and  after  that,  if 
his  labors  proved  successful,  he  would  take  up  his  resi 
dence  with  them  for  life.  The  answer  was  accepted,  and, 
Oct.  8,  he  left  New  Haven  for  his  new  field  of  labor. 
Mr.  Sergeant  had  long  prayed  for  such  an  opening,  and 
the  state  of  his  mind  when  his  prayers  were  answered, 
proved  their  sincerity.  In  his  diary  he  says  : — 

"  I  was  sensible  I  must  not  only  lose  a  great  many  agree 
able  amusements  of  life,  especially  in  leaving  my  business 
at  College,  which  was  the  most  agreeable  to  me  that  could  be, 
but  also  expose  myself  to  many  fatigues  or  hardships,  and  I 
know  not  to  what  dangers ;  yet  I  was  so  far  from  being 
unwilling,  that  I  was  rather  desirous  to  improve  what  abilities 
I  had  in  such  an  undertaking.  Indeed  I  should  be  ashamed 
to  own  myself  a  Christian,  or  even  a  man,  and  yet  utterly 
refuse  doing  what  lay  in  my  power  to  cultivate  humanity,  and 
to  promote  the  salvation  of  souls.'' 

Mr.  Bull  was  chosen  to  introduce  the  pastor  to  his  future 
charge ;  and  they  left  Westfield  on  the  afternoon  of  Oct. 
11,  intending  to  pass  the  night  at  the  only  house  on  the 


42  STOCKBRIDGE,  PAST  AND  PRESENT; 

road.  This,  however,  they  failed  to  reach,  and  spent  it  in 
the  open  air.  The  second  day  they  arrived  at  Housa- 
tonic  ;  and  notice  having  been  given,  the  Indians  assembled 
at  Barrington,  about  twenty  adults  being  present,  and 
there  heard  the  first  sermon  from  Mr.  Sergeant.  Good 
attention  was  given,  especially  by  Capt.  Konkapot  and  his 
family,  and  prospects  seemed  altogether  as  favorable  as 
had  been  anticipated. 


SECTION    VIII. 

FORMATION    OF     THE    CHURCH. 

MB.  SERGEANT'S  interpreter  having  lived  among  the 
whites,  and  those,  it  would  seem,  of  good  moral  character, 
had  gained  a  fair  knowledge  of  the  Christian  religion,  and 
was  anxious  to  become  openly  a  believer.  A  meeting 
was  accordingly  appointed  at  the  house  of  Lieut.  Umpa- 
chenee  on  Thursday,  the  18th  of  October,  1734,  where 
he  passed  a  satisfactory  examination.  Mr.  Bull  then 
offered  a  prayer,  which  the  candidate  interpreted,  Mr.  Ser 
geant  delivered  a  short  discourse,  and  then  Mr.  Bull 
administered  the  rite  of  baptism,  giving  to  the  candidate 
the  appropriate  name  of  Ebenezer,  he  entering  into  the 
following  profession  and  covenant : — 

"  Through  the  goodness  of  God  towards  me,  in  bringing  me 
into  the  way  of  the  knowledge  of  the  Gospel,  I  am  convinced 
of  the  truth  of  the  Christian  Religion,  and  that  it  is  the  only 
way  that  leads  to  salvation  and  happiness.  I  therefore  freely 
and  heartily  forsake  heathenish  darkness,  and  embrace  the  light 
of  the  Gospel,  and  the  way  of  holiness.  And  do  now,  in 
presence  of  Almighty  God,  the  Searcher  of  hearts,  and  before 
many  witnesses,  seriously  and  solemnly  take  the  Lord  Jeho 
vah  to  be  my  God  and  portion,  Jesus  Christ,  His  Son,  to  be 
my  Lord  and  Redeemer,  and  the  Holy  Ghost  to  be  my  Sanc- 
tifier  and  Teacher.  And  I  do  now  covenant  and  promise,  by 
the  help  of  Divine  Grace,  that  1  will  cleave  to  the  Lord  with 
purpose  of  heart,  believing  his  revealed  truths,  as  far  as  I  can 
gain  the  knowledge  of  them,  obeying  his  commands,  both 
those  which  mark  out  my  duty,  and  those  that  forbid  sin; — 
sincerely,  and  uprightly  to  the  end  of  my  life." 


OR,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.  43 

The  former  name  of  Ebenezer,  which  now  became  his 
surname,  seems  to  have  been  Poopoonuk,  or  Pau-paum- 
nuk.  This  was  the  commencement  of  our  Church  organ 
ization,  and  the  covenant  into  which  the  candidate  now 
entered  was  evidently  the  one  used  by  the  church  for 
many  years,  with  slight  alterations,  of  course,  for  those 
trained  in  the  Christian  faith.  Here  our  earthly  leaders 
set  up  their  Ebcnezcr,  for  hitherto  the  Lord  had  helped 
them ;  nor  should  the  stone  of  help  be  yet  removed.  He 
has  been  with  us  in  six  troubles,  and  in  seven  has  not  for 
saken  us.  Let  us  continue  to  trust  Him. 

One  suggestion : — would  it  not  be  both  pleasant  and 
profitable,  if  we  and  our  twin  sister  church  in  the  West 
would  commemorate  this  our  birth-day  by  appropriate 
religious  exercises,  and  by  the  interchange  of  fraternal 
epistles  in  season  to  be  read  upon  the  occasion  ? 


SECTION    IX. 

PROGRESS      OF      LIGHT. 

LONG  and  dark  was  the  night  which  had  brooded  over 
Housatonic,  and  deadly  were  the  damps  upon  the  spirit  of 
the  Muh-he-ka-neew  ;  but  now  the  Sun  of  Righteousness 
had  risen  with  healing  in  his  beams  ;  the  mists  were  roll 
ing  away  upon  the  mountains,  and  though  now  and  then  a 
cloud  cast  a  shadow  upon  the  valleys,  still  the  blight  prom 
ise  of  noonday  cheered  the  laborers  on  to  their  toil. 

At  the  meeting  in  Ska-te-hook  on  Thursday,  Ebenezer 
pointed  out  to  Mr.  Sergeant  a  little  boy.  named  Showanun, 
who  had  torn  himself  from  a  loving  and  beloved  father 
that  he  might  receive  instruction  from  the  missionary. 
Perhaps  he  was  undutiful ;  but  when  the  salvation  of  the 
soul  is  at  stake,  it  is  hard  to  condemn. 

At  the  same  time,  the  Indians  consulted  together  upon 
a  plan  for  future  action  ;  and  the  decision  was,  that  during 
the  winter  season  they  should  collect  at  Harrington  where 
there  was  wood  and  water,  and  where  some  English  fami 
lies  had  settled,  with  whom  Mr.  Sergeant  could  board ; 


44  STOCKBR1DGE,   PAST  AND  PRESENT  J 

though,  through  the  summer,  they  must  be  scattered  for  the 
purpose  of  cultivating  their  lands. 

Sabbath,  Oct.  20,  Mr.  Sergeant  preached  twice  to  atten 
tive  audiences — Van  Valkenburg  interpreting — and  on 
Monday  the  Indians  commenced,  with  light  hearts  and 
ready  hands,  the  erection  of  a  public  building,  which  was 
to  serve  as  church  and  school-house.  Around  this  they 
built  small  huts  for  themselves,  and  were  soon  settled  in 
them  for  the  winter.  In  the  meantime,  Mr.  Sergeant 
visited  W-nahk-ta-kook  and  Ska-te-hook,  and  gathered  in 
each  place  nine  or  ten  children  from  the  few  families  resi 
dent  there,  who  treated  him  with  great  respect,  and  seemed 
very  eager  in  the  pursuit  of  knowledge.  Sabbath,  Nov.  3, 
the  audience  was  greatly  increased,  and  for  the  first  time 
Mr.  Sergeant,  by  an  interpreter,  led  them  in  prayer. 

November  5th,  he  opened  a  school  in  the  new  building, 
and  soon  numbered  over  twenty  scholars.  But  having 
been  requested  to  visit  Albany  to  inquire  into  the  disposi 
tion  of  the  Mohawks,  he  left  on  the  25th,  and  did  not 
return  until  Saturday,  Nov.  30.  During  his  absence,  Mr. 
Hopkins  had  procured  for  him  an  assistant,  Mr.  Timothy 
Woodbridge,  "  a  young  man  well  qualified  for  the  work  of 
teaching  and  catechizing ; "  and  to  him  the  mission  was 
intrusted  on  the  return  of  Mr.  Sergeant  to  New  Haven. 
To  both  missionaries  the  children  very  readily  attached 
themselves. 

Before  his  departure,  however,  Mr.  Sergeant  was  called 
to  meet  difficulties  and  discouragements.  Lord's  Day, 
Dec.  8,  he  had  but  few  hearers,  and  the  previous  week  had 
been  one  of  trial.  The  Dutch  were  in  the  practice  of  fur 
nishing  spirits  to  the  Indians,  and  then  trading  with  them 
while  in  a  state  of  intoxication ;  and  they  were  strongly 
opposed  to  the  establishment  of  missions  among  them. — 
This  week  they  had  been  in  Barrington,  and  while  they 
sold  poison  for  the  bodies  of  the  Indians,  they  very  dili 
gently  furnished  poison  for  their  souls  without  compensa 
tion.  They  told  the  Indians  that  the  Government  were 
not  their  friends,  and  for  that  reason,  would  not  allow  pri 
vate  individuals  to  sell  intoxicating  liquors  to  them;  and 
that  the  design  of  the  missionaries  was  to  capture  them 
and  their  families  for  slaves.  Many  became  too  deeply 
infected,  body  and  soul,  to  venture  themselves  in  the  place 


,     OR,  RECORDS  OP  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.  45 

of  worship  on  the  Sabbath,  and  except  the  Lord  had  been 
upon  the  side  of  truth,  they  had  been  swallowed  up 
quickly,  But  Mr.  Sergeant  requested  the  Indians  to  meet 
at  his  boarding-place  on  Sabbath  evening,  and  so  far  suc 
ceeded  in  winning  back  their  confidence,  that  not  only 
Capt,  Konkapot  committed  to  his  care  his  only  son,  Nung- 
ka-wat,  a  lad  nine  years  of  age,  but  Lieut.  Umpachenee, 
whose  mind  had  been  soured,  though  he  had  refrained 
from  drinkirg,  consented  that  his  eldest  son,  E-to-wau- 
kaum,  eight  years  old,  should  also  spend  the  winter  in 
New  Haven. 

Monday  morning,  Dec.  9,  they  started  on  their  journey, 
going  by  the  way  of  Westfield.  The  boys  bore  its  fatigues 
with  exemplary  patience,  and  arrived  at  New  Haven  on 
the  14th,  where  they  attended  school  with  white  children, 
and  lodged  in  the  College  with  Mr.  Sergeant.  Every  one 
took  notice  of  them,  and  strove  to  please  them,  and  they 
were  contented  and  happy.  They  proved  also  to  be  boys 
of  unusual  promise,  particularly  E-to-wau-kaum. 

Mr.  Sergeant  had  during  his  stay  instructed  the  Indians 
in  the  great  principles  of  the  Bible,  endeavoring  to  correct 
their  notions  of  God  the  Creator,  of  good  and  of  evil,  and 
of  rewards  and  punishments,  so  far  as  they  were  wrong, 
and  add  to  them  those  doctrines  of  which  they  were  igno 
rant.  Of  Capt.  Konkapot  he  says,  in  a  letter  to  the  Com 
missioners,  "  he  is  an  excellent  man,  and  I  do  believe  has 
the  true  spirit  of  Christianity  in  him."  Strong  drink, 
loose,  vicious  persons  Christian  in  name,  and  selfish  traders 
he  mentions  as  the  only  enemies  to  success. 

Dec.  19,  Mr.  Sergeant  wrote  to  the  Indians,  assuring 
them  that  they  were  "always  in  his  heart,"  and  dissuading 
them  from  listening  again  to  those  who  would  keep  them  in 
darkness.  "  Knowledge,"  he  says,  "  is  certainly  good.  It 
is  to  the  mind,  what  light  is  to  the  eye.  You  would  think 
them  your  greatest  enemies  that  should  endeavor  to  put 
out  your  eyes,  especially  if  you  were  traveling  a  difficult 
road.  This  world  is  like  a  thick  and  entangled  wilder 
ness  ;  and  why  should  rot  you,  as  well  as  other  people, 
enjoy  the  benefit  of  the  light.  Truth  is  more  precious 
than  the  light  of  the  sun.  Don't  suffer  your  enemies  to 
impose  upon  you." 

This  letter  was  very  joyfully  received,  especially  as  the 


46  STOCKBRIDGE,  PAST  AND  PRESENT; 

River  Indians  generally  were  about  to  hold  a  council  at 
Housatonic  to  consider  the  practicability  of  the  mission. 
"  They  who  will  live  godly  in  Christ  Jesus  must  suffer  per 
secution."  If  Satan  has  no  instrument  at  hand,  he  will  do 
this  work  himself;  but  if  others  can  be  employed,  two 
evils  are  accomplished,  and  he  has  double  gain.  The 
Indians  at  Housatonic  had  heard  that  those  of  their  tribe 
who  were  still  settled  upon  the  Hudson,  highly  resented 
their  conduct,  feeling  themselves  dishonored  by  not  being 
earlier  consulted,  and  that  a  project  was  on  foot  to  poison 
Konkapot  and  Umpachenee.  They  were  more  particularly 
angry  with  these  men  because  they  had  received  commis 
sions  from  the  Governor.  The  report  may  have  been  true  ; 
or  it  may,  as  the  English  suspected,  have  been  invented  by 
the  designing  traders  ;  but  so  greatly  were  the  poor  Indians 
alarmed,  that  they  requested  the  attendance  of  some  of  the 
clergymen  of  the  county  as  their  friends.  Accordingly, 
Mr.  Samuel  Hopkins  of  West  Springfield,  the  projector, 
and  afterwards  the  Historian  of  the  Mission,  together  with 
Dr.  Williams  of  Longmeadow,  and  John  Ashley,  Esq.,  of 
Westfield  came,  Jan.  15th,  1735.  The  Indians  from  the 
river  did  not  arrive  until  Saturday,  the  19th.  On  Sabbath, 
Mr.  Hopkins  preached  to  the  English  at  Sheffield,  who 
were  without  a  pastor,  and  Dr.  Williams  preached  to  one 
hundred  and  fifty  or  two  hundred  Indians.  After  the 
Sabbath,  various  conferences  were  held ;  a  letter  was  read 
from  John  Stoddard,  Esq.,  and  the  whole  matter  was  so 
satisfactorily  explained,  that  the  Indians  from  abroad 
expressed  their  thanks  to  the  ministers,  and  requested  that 
the  pastor  and  teacher  would  go  forward  in  their  work, 
intimating  that  they  themselves  might  wish  to  receive 
instruction. 

But  such  meetings  were  always  closed  with  drinking, 
and  "frolicking,"  as  dancing  was  then  called,  and  as  soon 
as  all  was  over,  several  of  the  Housatonic  Indians  fell  sick, 
and  two  of  them  died.  This  was  not  surprising  to  the 
whites,  as  their  excess  in  eating  and  drinking,  and  expo 
sure  to  the  cold  when  heated  in  the  dance  were  sufficient 
to  induce  diseases.  But  the  poor  Indians  were  terrified, 
and  Feb.  21  they  held,  or  performed,  a  Powwaw  at  the 
wigwam  of  Umpachenee,  to  discover  the  murderers,  who, 
they  thought,  would  be  visible  to  the  priest.  Capt.  Kon- 


OR,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.  47 

kapot  attended ;  Mr.  Woodbridge  also  rode  down  in  the 
evening,  being  informed  by  Ebenezer  Poopoonuck  of  their 
intention.  More  than  forty  Indians  were  present.  When 
Mr.  Woodbridge  arrived,  the  ceremony  had  not  com 
menced,  and  they  gave  him  permission  to  attend  and  wit 
ness  it.  In  the  morning,  he  explained  to  them  the  sinful 
nature  of  the  custom,  and  they  resolved  never  to  be  guilty 
of  it  again ;  indeed,  those  best  instructed  seemed  deeply 
penitent.  Capt.  Konkapot  had  not  gone  without  inform 
ing  the  teacher  of  what  he  was  about  to  do ;  but  Mr. 
Woodbridge  did  not  understand  him,  and  was  not  suspi 
cious  of  any  wrong. 

Early  in  February,  Ebenezer  visited  Mr.  Sergeant  at 
New  Haven,  and  returned  with  another  letter,  in  which 
occur  such  sentiments  as  these : — "  I  am  very  glad  to  hear 
that  you  are  well,  and  that  all  things  go  well  with  you. 
My  heart  is  with  you,  though  I  am  so  far  distant  from  you. 
But  the  greatest  pleasure  of  all  is  that  you  have  it  yet  in 
your  hearts  to  become  Christians.  When  I  had  heard 
that  you  concluded  in  your  late  general  meeting  to 
embrace  Christianity,  it  was  more  pleasing  to  me  than 
cold  water  to  a  thirsty  man  in  the  heat  of  summer,  or  a 
plentiful  meal  to  one  almost  starved  with  hunger,  or  good 
success  to  one  who  has  hunted  a  great  while  in  vain." 

By  the  middle  of  the  month,  sugar-making  came  on ; 
and  as  all  then  repaired  to  the  woods,  and  remained  until 
the  end  of  March  or  the  middle  of  April,  Mr.  Woodbridge 
took  this  time  to  visit  his  friends  in  West  Springfield.  By 
him  the  Indians  wrote  to  those  clergymen  who  had  inter 
ested  themselves  in  their  behalf,  informing  them  that 
though  their  business  now  called  them,  with  their  families, 
abroad,  yet  in  a  little  time  they  should  return  arid  receive 
farther  instruction ;  and  they  desired  that  their  removal 
might  not  be  interpreted  as  an  expression  of  disaffection 
towards  the  new  religion,  as  they  were  still  resolved  to  in 
crease  in  the  knowledge  and  practice  of  it  so  soon  as  cir 
cumstances  should  permit.  To  this  the  ministers  replied, 
April  10th,  1735,  expressing  their  satisfaction  in  the  good 
disposition  and  progress  of  the  Indians,  and  their  readiness 
to  aid  them  to  the  extent  of  their  abilities. 

In  the  spring,  Capt.  Konkapot,  Lieut.  Umpachenee,  his 
brother  Toh-toh-kuk-hoo-naut,  and  Ebenezer,  went  to  New 


48  STOCKBRIDGE,  PAST    AND  PRESENT  ; 

Haven  to  wait  upon  Mr.  Sergeant  to  Housatonic,  and  to 
bring  back  the  boys.  Mr.  Sergeant  entertained  them  with 
much  respect,  showed  them  the  curiosities  of  the  college, 
and  was  gratified  with  their  good  behavior  and  attention. 
May  8th  they  started  for  Housatonic,  and  arrived  on  the 
night  of  the  10th,  Saturday,  having  left  Nung-haw-wat  in 
New  Haven  to  pursue  his  studies  still  farther.  On  the 
Sabbath  the  audience  was  solemn,  Umpachenee's  wife  wept 
almost  constantly,  and  Konkapot  was  often  in  tears.  Mr. 
Sergeant  remained  only  sixteen  days ;  but  two  schools 
were  kept  up  during  the  time,  one  in  W-nahk-ta-kook,  and 
the  other  in  Ska-te-hook. 

July  1,  1735,  Mr.  Sergeant  dismissed  his  class  in  col 
lege  and  left  New  Haven  for  Housatonic,  where  he  arrived 
on  the  5th,  and  on  the  next  week  commenced  teaching. 
Two  schools  were  again  taught,  Mr.  Sergeant  and  Mr. 
Woodbridge  changing  places  every  week. 

July  13th,  came  another  trial  of  faith.  The  Indians 
had  gone  into  the  New  York  country  to  assist  the  Dutch 
in  their  harvest,  where  they  would  be  exposed  to  the 
strongest  temptations,  and  the  bare  walls  of  the  church 
might  well  ring  with  the  gloomy  forbodings.  Yet  the  Lord 
was  better  to  them  than  their  fears.  The  Spirit  was  pres 
ent  in  the  assembly,  Capt.  Konkapot  was  constantly  bathed 
in  tears  ;  and  when  the  laborers  returned  during  the  week, 
they  were  found  to  have  endured  beyond  expectation. 
One  man  in  particular,  W-naum-pee,  had  resolutely  held 
his  ground,  saying  that  he  "  designed  to  go  to  heaven,  and 
must  break  off  from  such  wickedness."  The  close  of  this 
harvest  season  brings  us  to  a  new  and  important  era  in  the 
history  of  the  Housatonic  Mission. 


SECTION    X. 

ORDINATION    OF    MR.    SERGEANT. 

WRITING  to  Dr.  Colman  after  his  return  to  New  Haven 
in  the  spring  of  1735,  Mr.  Sergeant  expressed  his  belief 
that  the  Spirit  of  God  was  at  work  among  the  Indians,  and 


OR,  RECORDS  OP  AN  OLD   MISSION  STATION.  49 

his  willingness  to  devote  his  future  life  to  labors  among 
them.  He  also  says,  "  there  is  now,  and  I  hope  will  be, 
work  enough  for  two ;  I  hope  therefore  that  Mr.  Wood- 
bridge  will  be  maintained  with  me."  £100  each,  he  was 
convinced,  would  no  more  than  meet  their  expenses,  as  the 
necessaries  of  life  must  be  obtained  at  great  cost ;  but  he 
leaves  it  to  the  commissioners,  remarking  that  money  alone 
was  no  temptation  at  all  to  him  to  devote  himself  to  such  a 
life ;  yet  he  thought  it  no  more  than  reasonable  that  he 
should  receive  so  much  as  would  leave  his  mind  free  from 
worldly  cares  and  anxieties. 

Another  subject  mentioned  in  this  letter  was  his  ordina 
tion.  Some  of  the  Indians  wished  to  be  baptized,  and  he 
thought  them  prepared  for  the  ordinance  ;  but  he  was  not 
himself  qualified  to  administer  it.  For  this  reason  he 
wished  to  be  ordained  as  soon  as  his  labors  at  the  college 
were  closed,  either  at  Housatonic,  which  would  be  least 
expensive,  or  at  some  other  place  appointed  by  the  Com 
missioners. 

Several  weeks  passed  after  the  receipt  of  this  letter  be 
fore  the  Commissioners  again  met;  but  August  13th,  Mr. 
Sergeant  received  a  letter  from  Adam  Winthrop  Esq.,  Sec 
retary,  notifying  him  that  the  last  of  August  had  been  ap 
pointed  for  his  ordination.  The  Governor  and  Council 
were  to  meet  delegates  from  several  tribes  of  Indians  at 
that  time  in  Deerfield,  and  Mr.  Sergeant  and  his  flock  were 
requested  to  repair  thither,  that  he  might  receive  ordina 
tion  in  that  place.  As  we  have  seen,  he  was  then  in 
Housatonic.  The  Indians  set  out  on  the  18th,  but  Mr.  S. 
was  at  that  time  too  sick  to  leave.  His  disease  was  inter 
mittent  fever,  which  all  immigrants  were  obliged  to  pass 
through.  Mr.  Woodbridge  was  also  seized  about  the  same 
time,  and  compelled  to  suspend  his  labors  until  November, 
spending  several  weeks  of  the  time  in  West  Springfield 
with  his  friends. 

August  25,  the  Governor,  and  a  large  Committee  from 
the  Council  and  House  of  Representatives  arrived,  and 
the  week  was  spent  in  forming  a  treaty,  ratifying  the  peace 
and  friendship  which  existed,  and  exchanging  pledges. 
On  the  evening  of  Friday,  the  29th,  Mr.  Sergeant  reached 
Deerfield,  and  the  morning  of  the  Sabbath,  August  31, 
was  set  apart  for  the  services  of  the  Ordination.  The 


50         STOCKBRIDGE,  PAST  AND  PRESENT  5 

neighboring  ministers  attended,  the  usual  congregation 
worshiping  in  the  church  assembled ;  many  of  the  Indian 
delegates  were  grave  spectators  of  the  scene ;  the  Gover 
nor  and  Council  were  in  their  places,  and  the  Housatonic 
Indians,  seated  by  themselves,  completed  the  motley  and 
interesting  group. 

As  an  introduction  to  the  Ordination,  the  Rev.  William 
Williams,  of  Hatfield,  addressed  the  Governor,  noticing 
the  goodness  of  God  in  leading  British  Christians  to  seek 
the  salvation  of  the  heathen ;  the  submitting  of  this  work 
to  the  direction  of  an  honorable  Corporation  there ;  the 
appointment  by  them  of  a  body  of  Commissioners  here,  at 
the  head  of  which  was  his  Excellency,  to  act  as  their 
agents  in  this  cause,  and  their  having  found  a  suitable  per 
son  to  instruct  the  Housatonic  Indians  according  to  their 
own  desire,  and  he  "  humbly  asked  if  it  were  his  Excel 
lency's  pleasure  that  the  Pastors  then  convened  should 
proceed  to  set  him  apart  for  that  work." — To  which  the 
Governor  manifested  his  approbation. 

Mr.  Williams  then  observed  to  Mr.  Sergeant,  that  he 
understood  his  Excellency,  in  the  name  of  the  Commis 
sioners,  to  desire  him  to  take  upon  himself  the  Ministry 
and  service  of  a  Missionary  to  the  Housatonic  Indians, 
and  he  asked  if  he  were  willing  to  devote  himself  to  that 
work  ?  Mr.  Sergeant  gave  his  assent,  and  the  ordination 
services  were  performed. 

After  the  Fellowship  of  the  Elders  had  been  given, 
Rev.  Dr.  Williams,  of  Longmeadow,  asked  the  Indians, 
through  an  interpreter,  if  they  were  willing  to  receive  Mr. 
Sergeant,  thus  solemnly  set  apart  to  the  work  of  teacher, 
among  them.  The  Indians  signified  their  assent  by  rising. 
The  Sermon  was  preached  by  Mr.  Appleton  of  Cambridge, 
and  was  published  not  long  afterwards. 

The  Indians  were  greatly  rejoiced  that  they  had  now  a 
settled  Pastor,  who  could  not  only  break  to  them  the  bread 
of  life,  but  administer  to  them  the  Gospel  ordinances  ;  and 
they  were  delighted  too  with  Governor  Belcher,  who  treat 
ed  them  at  all  times  with  great  kindness,  and  even  tender 
ness.  Mr.  Sergeant  went  from  Deerfield  to  New  Jersey, 
to  visit  his  friends,  and  returned  to  Housatonic  by  way  of 
New  Haven,  bringing  with  him  the  son  of  Captain  Kon- 
kapot. 


OR,  RECORDS  OP  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.  51 


SECTION     XI. 

FIRST    SPIRITUAL    HARVEST     IN    HOUSATONIC. 

OCTOBER  26,  Mr.  Sergeant  commenced  his  labors  as 
ordained  pastor,  and  was  received  with  great  satisfaction 
by  the  Indians.  He  proposed  baptism  to  Capt.  Konkapot 
and  his  family,  and  visited  him  at  his  house  during  the 
week  to  prepare  him  for  the  solemnity.  No  church  meet 
ing  need  be  called  for  the  examination  of  the  candidates, 
since  Ebenezer  Poopoonah,  the  interpreter,  constituted 
The  Church,  and  accordingly  on  Lord's  Day,  November 
2,  Capt.  Konkapot  wTas  baptized  by  the  name  of  John,  his 
wife  by  the  name  of  Mary,  and  his  eldest  daughter  by  the 
name  of  Catharine.  The  ceremony  was  of  course  per 
formed  in  Barrington,  and  as  the  weather  was  unfavorable, 
the  younger  children  could  not  go  down.  But  a  large 
audience,  both  of  whites,  and  of  Indians,  witnessed  the 
ceremony,  and  a  deep  sense  of  the  solemnity  of  the  act 
seemed  to  rest  upon  the  minds  of  the  candidates. 

The  next  pastoral  labor  of  Mr.  Sergeant  was  an  unusu 
al  one.  Ebenezer  Poopoonah  was  now  a  Christian  man  ; 
he  wished  also  to  be  a  Christian  husband;  and  having  been 
duly  published  according  to  the  laws  of  the  Colony ;  he 
and  his  wife  were  married  in  the  English,  which  he  con 
sidered  the  Christian  form,  November  7,  1735. 

November  9,  the  son  of  Ebenezer  was  baptized,  and 
also  the  son  and  other  daughters  of  Capt.  Konkapot. 
Lieut.  Umpachenee  too,  and  his  wife,  presented  a  request 
for  baptism  on  the  next  Sabbath.  They  met  Mr  Sergeant 
at  his  lodgings  in  the  evening,  and  received  very  direct 
and  particular  instructions  preparatory  thereto ;  and  often 
afterwards  the  Lieutenant  referred  to  that  evening  as  the 
time  when  the  truth  fully  entered  his  understanding  and 
his  heart.  November  16,  they  were  baptized  by  the  names 
of  Aaron  and  Hannah ;  and  at  the  same  time  the  sister  of 
Hannah,  and  the  wife  of  Ebenezer  professed  their  faith. 
Lieut.  Umpachenee  and  wife  also  brought  their  children 
to  receive  the  ordinance.  It  was  a  solemn  scene.  The 
Indians  generally  seemed  more  interested  than  ever  before, 


52         STOCKBRIDGE,  PAST  AND  PRESENT  ; 

and  the  exercises  were  renewed  in  the  evening,  and  at  the 
desire  of  the  audience  continued  until  a  late  hour.  They 
could  never,  they  thought,  tire  of  hearing  the  good,  and 
the  great  things  of  the  kingdom. 

These  Sabbath  evening  Lectures  were  continued  after 
this  for  several  weeks,  and  the  Spirit  of  God  was  evidently 
present  to  bless.  November  23,  W-naum-pee  and  wife, 
Toh-toh-kuk-hoo-naut,  brother  of  Lieut.  Umpachenee,  and 
some  others,  professed  their  faith  in  Christ,  and  the  child 
ren  of  W-naum-pee  were  baptized  upon  the  faith  of  their 
parents.  In  all  eleven  persons  received  the  ordinance. 

On  Saturday,  November  29,  a  Susquehannah  Indian 
arrived  at  Housatonic,  who  remained  about  a  month,  list 
ening  attentively  to  the  word  of  God,  and  evidently  delight 
ed  with  what  he  heard.  He  had  been  a  vicious,  drunken 
fellow ;  but  having  heard  something  of  the  true  religion, 
he  had  entirely  reformed,  and  like  many  Housatonic 
Indians,  had  adopted  the  system  of  total  abstinence.  His 
name  was  Un-na-qua-nut. 

Dec.  7,  nine  more  persons  were  baptized,  and  Dec.  14, 
Naw-naw-ne-ke-nuk,  one  of  the  principal  men,  "a  good 
tempered,  talented,  honest,  kind,  and  faithful  citizen,"  was 
added  to  the  number.  His  new  name  seems  to  have  been 
David. 

It  was  about  this  time  that  the  Indians  passed  a  resolution 
"  to  have  no  trading  in  rum,"  a  purpose  to  which  Mr. 
Sergeant  says,  they  steadily  adhered.  The  time  had  come 
too  to  hold  the  Kentikaw,  or  dance,  which  should  close  the 
mourning  for  those  supposed  to  have  been  poisoned  at  the 
great  council;  and  lest  they  might  err  again  through  a 
want  of  understanding,  they  asked  Mr.  Sergeant's  advice, 
distinctly  explaining  to  him  the  nature  and  design  of  the 
ceremony.  He  told  them  that  he  saw  no  harm  in  it ;  and 
so  far  indulged  their  innocent  national  feelings  as  to  be 
present  upon  the  occasion.  In  accordance  with  their 
Temperance  Pledge,  no  spirituous  liquors  were  furnished, 
and  their  friends,  when  invited,  were  requested  not  to  bring 
any  with  them.  Un-na-qua-nut  was  one  of  the  guests,  and 
left  two  bright  boys  in  the  school,  one  of  whom,  Mr. 
Sergeant  remarked,  "learned  at  a  prodigious  rate."  Little 
spirits  was  brought,  and  the  sobriety  and  good  behavior  of 
the  Housatonic  Indians  was  much  noted.  The  Lieutenant 


OR,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.  53 

particularly  distinguished  himself  by  his  own  temperance, 
and  by  his  exhortations  to  others.  One  half  of  the 
congregation  convened  at  his  house  on  Sabbath,  Jan.  18, 
consisting  of  80  or  90  adults,  was  composed  of  the  strangers, 
and  they  expressed  their  approbation  of  the  Christian 
religion,  and  their  good  wishes  for  the  mission.  Some 
manifested  a  desire  to  remove  to  Housatonic,  that  they 
might  sit  under  the  droppings  of  the  sanctuary,  and  two 
families  did  remain. 

Little  more  than  one  year  had  now  elapsed,  since  the 
first  ray  of  Gospel  light  broke  upon  Housatonic.  Then 
the  Indians,  "great  and  small,  numbered  less  than  fifty." — 
At  this  time  forty  children  attended  the  school,  and  several 
adults  were  learning  to  read.  Many  had  professed  their 
faith  in  the  Savior,  and  brought  their  little  ones  to  receive 
the  sign  of  the  covenant- — in  all,  forty  persons.  Heathen 
customs  were  renounced,  and  a  stand  had  been  taken  in 
the  cause  of  Temperance  which  might  well  put  to  the 
blush  communities  of  nominal  Christians.  Indeed  the  In 
dians  were,  themselves,  surprised  at  the  change,  and  com 
pared  the  past  and  the  present  to  sleeping  and  waking, 
darkness  and  light,  &c.,  and  Mr.  Sergeant  expresses  his 
belief  that  what  was  wanting  in  knowledge,  in  the  Indian 
Christians,  was  made  up  in  zeal  and  integrity. 

Nor  was  this  all ;  the  blessing  was  not  confined  to  Hous 
atonic.  The  leaven  was  permeating  the  whole  lump. — 
The  River,  or  ftiuh-he-ka-neew  Tribe,  in  the  various  set 
tlements,  were  taking  knowledge  of  the  Housatonics,  that 
that  they  had  been  with  Jesus,  and  were  giving  glory  to 
the  Most  High  ;  and  to  the  present  day,the  history  of  the 
Housatonic  Mission,  rightly  written,  is  a  Hymn  of  Praise. 


SECTION  XII. 

REMOVAL    TO    STOCKBRIDGE. 


HITHERTO  the  History  of  the  Housatonic  Mission  has 
been  the  History,  not  of  Stockbridge  only,  but  also  of 
Barrington  and  Sheffield.  From  the  year  1735,  however, 


54         STOCKBRIDGE,  PAST  AND  PRESENT) 

it  is  mostly  confined  to  Stockbridge  alone ;  and  each  de 
partment  of  labor,  or  class  of  facts,  will  be  more  distinctly 
seen  by  the  reader,  and  more  readily  referred  to  by  the 
antiquarian,  if  we  drop,  for  a  few  years,  the  consecutive 
manner  of  recording  events,  and  give  to  each  class  its  own 
section.  And  first — 

The  Incorporation  and  Settlement  of  Stockbridge. 

The  necessity  of  suspending  labor,  to  a  great  degree, 
through  the  warm  season,  that  the  Indians  might  cultivate 
their  own  lands,  was,  it  will  be  seen,  a  great  bar  to  im 
provement,  and  it  was  thought  that  could  an  exchange  be 
made,  so  that  all  might  hold  lands,  in  the  same  vicinity, 
others  of  the  tribe  would  be  gathered  in,  and  much  good 
be  accomplished.  This  had  indeed  been  the  design  from 
the  first,  and  Col.  Stoddard,  in  his  letter  to  the  Indians 
met  in  council,  Jan.  1735,  informed  them,  of  it,  hoping  that 
the  great  meadow  north  of  the  Mountain,  would  be  ob 
tained  for  them.  Gov.  Belcher,  too,  proposed  it  to  them 
at  Deerfield,  and  pledged  his  influence  in  their  behalf  with 
the  Legislature,  at  its  fall  session.  This  pledge  he  faith 
fully  redeemed,  and  sent  to  Mr.  Sergeant  the  following  re 
sult : 

u  Col.  Stoddard,  Maj.  Pomroy  and  Mr.  Justice  Ingersole  are 
appointed  by  the  General  Court,  to  weigh  and  consider  all 
things  and  circumstances  so  as  to  accommodate  my  Children 
at  Housatunnuk  with  land  in  the  best  manner.  I  agree  with 
you  that  some  English  families — if  such  can  be  iound  as  you 
mention— be  interspersed  and  settled  among  the  Indians  ;  for 
to  civilize,  will  be  the  readiest  way  to  christianize  them." 

Feb.  10,  Maj.  Pomeroy  and  Mr.  Ingersoll  arrived,  and 
the  next  day  met  the  Indians  and  read  to  them  the  Act  of 
Legislature  which  appointed  them  its  agents,  stated  that 
the  sickness  of  his  mother  had  prevented  the  attendance  of 
Col.  Stoddard,  and  assured  th'-m  of  the  good  intentions  of 
the  Government,  adding — "  Therefore  tell  us  what  will 
suit,  that  we  may  inform  the  General  Court,  who  will  gladly 
do  you  good." 

They  next  asked  them  if  they  had  a  mind  to  live  together  ? 
and  they  answered,  "  Yes,"  and  should  be  very  thankful  if 
they  might  be  accommodated  for  that  purpose.  They  were 
then  asked  whether  the  interval  land  above  the  mountain 


OR,  RECORDS  OP  AN  OLD    MISSION  STATION.  55 

would  suit  them  ?  and  answered  "  Very  well."  And 
whether  they  were  willing  to  part  with  their  land  in 
Ska-te-hook  for  an  equivalent  above  ?  "Yes."  Were  they 
willing  that  lots  should  be  reserved  for  the  minister  and 
teacher  ?  "  Yes,  by  all  means."  The  meeting  then  ad 
journed  until  the  18th. 

The  next  thing  to  be  done  was  to  negotiate  with  the 
English  and  Dutch  who  had  settled  in  W-nahk-ta-kook,  or 
the  Great  Meadow,  and  obtain  the  whole  for  the  Indians. 
Only  two  or  three  objected  to  the  proposals  of  the  commit 
tee,  and  those  agreed  to  take  their  offers  into  consideration. 

On  the  18th  the  Indians  again  met,  received  the  report 
of  the  committee,  returned  their  thanks  for  what  had  been 
done,  and  only  requested  to  be  settled  before  the  time  to 
commence  planting.  The  report  was  laid  before  the  Leg 
islature,  and  a  Township  six  miles  square,  comprising  W- 
nahk-tu-kook  was  given  to  the  Indians,  and  the  same  com 
mittee  were  directed  to  complete  the  business,  reserving 
one-sixth  of  the  land  for  Mr.  Sergeant,  one-sixth  for  Mr. 
Woodbridge,  and  "  accommodating  four  other  families  with 
such  a  part  as  they  should  see  fit."  "  It  was  at  Mr.  Ser 
geant's  request  that  these  families  were  admitted,  not  for 
the  comfort  of  their  society  only,  but  especially  to  civilize 
and  anglicize  the  Indians,  and  to  be  a  help  to  them  in  their 
secular  affairs.  Families  well  adapted  to  answer  those  ends 
were  to  be  chosen,  and  by  Col.  Stoddard's  approbation — 
who  was  a  good  judge — they  were  to  be  admitted." 

April  20th,  the  Committee  again  repaired  to  Housatonic  ; 
but  all  was  not  ready,  as  they  expected  to  find  it,  on  the 
part  of  the  Indians.  Designing  whites  were  constantly 
telling  them  that  the  government  only  wished  to  get  them 
more  completely  under  their  control,  that  they  might  en 
slave  both  them  and  their  children  ;  and  the  poor  Indian, 
ever  tenacious  of  his  liberty,  knew  not  which  to  believe. 
When  therefore  the  subject  was  opened  at  the  council,  a 
very  interesting  discussion  took  place.  Lieut.  Umpachenee 
first  expressed  to  the  committee  his  deep  sense  of  his  for 
mer  unhappy  life,  the  miserable  condition  of  his  people,  and 
the  kindness  of  the  English  in  what  had  been  done,  which 
all  touched  his  heart  most  tenderly.  He  hoped  that  his 
eyes  were  now  open  to  see  the  excellency  of  the  Christian 
religion,  regretted  that  he  had  not  lived  always  under  its 


56          STOCKBRIDGE,  PAST  AND  PRESENT  ; 

influence  ;  hoped  that  his  children  would  enjoy  the  blessings 
of  which  he  now  deplored  his  own  want,  and  that  the  whole 
tribe  would  ere  long  be  brought  into  the  way  in  which  the 
Housatonics  had  begun  to  walk, — yet  he  frankly  owned 
that  still  there  were  difficulties  which  he  could  not  satisfac 
torily  solve.  Three  or  four  things,  in  his  eyes,  looked  dark. 
Why  had  they  been  neglected  so  long  ?  What  was  the  se 
cret  spring  which  had  so  suddenly  brought  them  into  favor  ? 
Why  did  Maj.  Pomeroy  ask  them  so  many  questions  about 
the  owners  of  certain  lands,  and  the  nature  and  origin  of 
their  titles  to  them  ?  And  why  ?  wliy,  if  the  Christian  re 
ligion  was  so  true  and  good,  what  he  esteemed  it  to  be, — 
why  did  many  of  its  professors  lead  such  vicious  lives  ? 

In  reply,  Col.  Stoddard  gave  them  an  account  of  the  de 
sign  of  the  planters  of  the  Massachusetts  Colony,  particu 
larly  that  clause  in  the  Charter  running  thus : — "  To  win 
and  to  incite  the  natives  of  the  country  to  the  knowledge 
and  obedience  of  the  only  true  God  and  Savior  of  man 
kind,  and  the  Christian  faith,  is  in  our  Royal  intention,  and 
the  adventurers  free  profession,  the  principal  end  of  the 
plantation."  He  told  them  of  the  labors  and  success  of  the 
Mayhews,  and  of  Eliot ;  the  readiness  of  the  government 
to  engage  in  the  work  whenever,  and  wherever  the  field 
was  open,  and  of  the  promptness  with  which  they  had  re 
sponded  to  the  wish  of  Capt.  Konkapot,  and  he  assured  them 
that  whatever  others  might  say,  their  good,  and  that  only, 
was  the  spring  of  all  that  had  been  done.  As  to  the  ques 
tions  of  Maj.  Pomeroy,  they  were  asked  merely  to  gratify 
personal  curiosity  in  regard  to  their  laws  and  customs.  But 
to  the  third  difficulty  Col.  Stoddard  could  only  answer — that 
it  was  true,  and  a  shame  to  the  depraved  heart  of  man,  but 
not  to  the  rules  of  the  Gospel  which  they  professed,  but 
disobeyed- 

The  Lieutenant  still  asked  anxiously  if  there  was  not  dan 
ger,  since  the  land  was  in  a  great  measure  given  them,  that 
the  children  of  the  whites  might  look  upon  their  children  as 
objects  of  charity,  and  inferior  to  themselves.  Would  their 
titles  be  such  as  to  secure  them  from  abuse  ?  and  could  the 
freedom  of  their  children  be  made  sure  ? 

Col.  S.  replied  that  their  titles  would  be  the  same  as 
those  of  the  whites ;  that  they  would  enjoy  not  only  the 
protection  of  the  same  laws  as  they,  but  of  laws  made  ex- 


OR,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD   MISSION  STATION.  57 

pressly  for  the  good  of  the  Indian,  and  that  if  at  any  time 
dissatisfied,  they  would  be  at  full  liberty  to  remove. 

All  objections  were  thus  answered,  the  Indians  expressed 
their  great  satisfaction,  the  Lieutenant  declared  himself  so 
deeply  impressed  with  the  excellency  of  the  Christian  faith 
that  he  could  cheerfully  die  for  it,  and  after  some  general 
religious  conversation,  the  meeting  was  dismissed. 

But  the  difficulties  remained  with  regard  to  the  two  or 
three  Dutchmen  who  had  settled  above  the  mountain,  and 
great  trouble  was  submitted  to,  both  by  Mr.  Sergeant  and 
by  the  committee,  before  they  could  be  induced  to  remove. 
Indeed,  Van  Valkenburgh  did  not  yield  until  many  months 
afterwards,  when  he  was  compelled  to  sell  for  want  of  funds. 
Some  gentlemen  then  bought  him  out  and  gave  the  land 
to  the  Indians,  an  equivalent  of  unappropriated  lands  being 
given  them  below  the  mountain. 

Monday,  April  26,  the  committee  again  met  the  Indians, 
reported  proceedings,  showed  them  a  plan  of  the  township, 
inquired  if  they  would  make  any  alterations,  and  received 
their  entire  approbation,  and  warm  expressions  of  gratitude. 

Early  in  May  the  Indians  all  moved  in,  increased  by  two 
families.  They  engaged  industriously  in  the  cultivation  of 
their  land ;  the  school  was  large  ;  the  missionaries  were 
laborious,  and  all  went  on  prosperously. 

Two  of  the  English  families  selected, — those  of  Col. 
Ephraim  Williams  from  Newton,  and  Josiah  Jones  from 
Weston,  moved  to  Stockbridge,  as  it  is  now  called,  early  in 
June  of  1737.  Ephraim  Brown,  (soon  succeeded  by  his 
cousin  Dea.  Samuel  Brown  of  Watertown,)  and  Joseph 
Woodbridge,  brother  of  the  teacher,  came  still  later.  The 
Town  was  incorporated  in  1739,  and  named;  doubtless, 
from  Stockbridge  in  England,  which  it  strikingly  resembles  ; 
and  the  next  year  the  lands  were  apportioned  to  the  Indi 
ans  by  Col.  Stoddard  and  Col.  Williams,  to  their  entire  sat 
isfaction. 


58  STOCKBRIDGE.  PAST  AND    PRESENT; 

SECTION    XIII. 

TISIT  TO  BOSTON  IN  1736. 

JULY  11, 1736,  Gov.  Belcher  wrote  to  Mr.  Sergeant — « I 
desire  you  to  greet  my  Children  at  Housatonic  in  the  kind 
est  manner  from  me,  and  let  them  know  that  1  shall  be 
heartily  glad  to  see  them  at  Boston,  with  Corstar,  their 
Chief  Sachem.  I  hope  to  see  you  with  your  people,  &c." 

Accordingly  Mr.  Sergeant,  and  a  number  of  the  Stock- 
bridge  Indians  with  as  many  more  from  the  Hudson,  visited 
Boston,  and  August  5th,  waited  upon  the  Governor  and 
Council.  The  Lieutenant  made  a  speech  in  the  name  of  the 
others,  returning  thanks  for  favors  received  ;  and  in  token 
of  gratitude  he  presented  to  the  government  one  mile  of 
land  on  each  side  of  the  road  from  Housatonic  to  Westfield, 
— in  all,  52  square  miles.  He  also  asked  assistance  from 
the  Legislature  in  the  erection  of  a  church  and  school- 
house. 

The  answer  of  Gov.  Belcher  was  such  as  might  be  ex 
pected  from  him,  and  he  engaged  to  lay  their  request  be 
fore  the  general  Court  at  its  next  session.  A  present  of 
skins  was  then  brought  forward,  and  presented  to  the  Gov 
ernor.  These  he  ordered  to  be  sold,  and  the  avails  ex 
pended  in  books  for  Mr.  Sergeant's  Library. 

August  6th,  Mr.  Sergeant  and  his  flock  dined  with  the 
Governor  and  Council.  They  were  courteously  treated, 
and  the  Indians  received  presents  of  guns,  blankets,  &c.  and 
returned  home  highly  delighted  with  their  new  friends. 


SECTION    XIV. 

CHURCH,  SCHOOL-HOUSE,  &C. 

THE  Governor  kept  faithfully  the  promise  made  to  his 
children  while  in  Boston,  and  upon  his  suggestion,  the  Gen 
eral  Assembly  granted  funds  for  the  erection  of  a  Church 


OR,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.  59 

40  feet  by  30,  together  with  a  suitable  School-House  ;  and 
appointed  Col.  Stoddard,  Mr.  Sergeant,  and  Mr.  Wood- 
bridge  a  Committee  to  see  the  whole  accomplished. 

The  Church  was  accordingly  commenced  on  the  green,  a 
few  rods  north-east  of  the  site  of  the  present  South  Church. 
It  appears  to  have  had  three  doors  ;  one  on  each  end,  and 
one  on  the  south  side ;  pews  against  the  wall,  and  only  two 
aisles  ;  it  was  of  two  stories,  and,  as  evidence  of  its  firm 
ness, — the  frame  is  still  used  in  a  barn  several  rods  west 
of  its  original  location.  Little  is  remembered  ot  its  con 
struction,  but  votes  to  repair  make  that  little  intelligible. 
Owing  to  some  unavoidable  delays,  it  was  not  so  far  com 
pleted  as  to  admit  worshipers  before  Thanksgiving  Day, 
Nov.  29,  1739,  when  it  was  first  opened  for  religious  ser 
vice. 

The  Sabbath  service  consisted  of  a  short  prayer  for  the 
blessing  of  God,  offered  in  both  languages ;  a  portion  of 
Scripture  in  both,  with  explanations  and  observations ; 
prayers  also,  both  in  Indian  and  English  ;  singing,  in  which 
the  Indians  excelled,  and  the  Sermons,  two  each  Sabbath 
to  the  English,  and  two  to  the  Indians  ;  except  that,  during 
the  winter,  one  sermon  to  the  English  was  omitted.  To  all 
these  labors  of  Mr.  Sergeant  he  added,  during  the  warm 
season,  an  hour  of  familiar  instruction  to  the  Indians.  In 
his  Indian  readings  he  went  through  with  such  parts  of  the 
Bible  as  enabled  him  to  give  a  continuous  history  of  the 
work  of  creation,  providence  and  redemption.  In  his  dis 
courses  to  the  English,  he  gave  a  labored  and  learned  par 
aphrase  of  the  Epistles,  which  Mr.  Woodbridge  regretted 
could  not  be  published. 

The  people  of  Boston  presented  to  the  Stockbridge 
Church  a  Conch  Shell  just  brought  in  from  the  East  Indies, 
at  the  sound  of  which  the  congregation  was  gathered  for 
worship.  At  the  town  meeting  in  1760  it  was  voted,  to 
take  up  one  contribution  from  the  whites,  and  another  from 
the  Indians,  to  pay  David  Nau-nau-nee-ka-nuk  for  his  ser 
vices  in  sweeping  the  house  and  blowing  the  Conch  ;  and 
similar  votes  were  passed  in  other  years.  It  seems  always 
to  have  been  blown  by  an  Indian,  and  perhaps  it  is  from 
this  circumstance,  the  report  has  gone  abroad  that  it  was  of 
such  immense  size  no  ordinary  man  could  lift  it.  It  is  also 
said  to  have  "  mysteriously  disappeared,  and  not  been  heard 


60  STOCKBRIDGE,  PAST  AND   PRESENT  ; 

from  for  many  years."  The  Shell — less  than  a  foot  in 
length — but  of  sufficient  "  strength  of  lungs"  to  be  heard 
from  the  center  of  the  town  to  its  circumference  in  every 
direction,  was  given,  accompanied  by  a  belt  of  wampum,  to 
Capt,  Josiah  Jones,  son  of  the  missionary  of  that  name,  when 
the  Indians  left  for  New  Stockbridge.  The  wampum  was 
carried  off  by  Shays'  Men  when  they  plundered  Stockbridge 
in  1787  ;  but  the  Conch  was  inherited  by  the  son  of  Capt. 
Jones  who  bore  his  name  and  became  owner  of  the  govern 
ment  grant.  In  1834  it  fell  into  the  hands  of  a  female 
member  of  the  family  residing  upon  the  old  "  settle  lot," 
where  it  is  still  to  be  seen  and  heard.  But  having  thus 
been  taken  from  its  useful,  yet  dangerous  employment,  that 
of  a  farmer's  dinner-horn,  and  deposited  among  relics,  it  lias 
in  a  measure  disappeared.  "  Oh  for  a  tongue  in  those  lips 
of  thine  !"  was  the  wish  of  the  poet.  "  'Twas  done  as  soon 
as  said ;"  and  though  oftener  seen  than  heard,  as  woman, 
and  woman's  should  ever  be,  still,  pleasant  memories  of  the 
red  man  are  constantly  trembling  upon  its  well  worn  lip 
for  those  who  love  the  Indian  Race. 

Dr.  Francis  Ayscough  of  London,  Clerk  of  the  Closet, 
and  first  Chaplain  to  the  Prince  of  Wales,  also  presented 
the  congregation  with  the  Scriptures  in  two  large  folio  vol 
umes,  elegantly  gilt,  and  adorned  with  plates,  and  his  book 
binder  took  the  liberty  of  adding  a  third  volume  in  the  same 
style,  containing  the  Apocryphal  books.  Upon  a  fly-leaf 
of  the  Bibles  was  written  "  Presented  by  Dr.  Ayscough  to 
Rev.  John  Sergeant,  Missionary  to  the  Stockbridge  Indi 
ans  in  that  vast  wilderness  called  New  England." 

The  catholic  spirit  of  Dr.  Ayscough  may  be  seen  in  his 
reply  to  Capt.  Coram,  who  having  recommended  the  mis 
sion  to  his  patronage,  thought  it  his  duty  to  say  that  Mr. 
Sergeant  was  a  dissenter. 

"  What  if  he  be  a  dissenter  ?"  says  Dr.  A.,  "  he  is  a  good 
man,  and  that  is  every  thing.  It  is  time  those  distinctions 
should  be  laid  aside.,  and  not  make  them  where  there  is 
none,  and  the  partition  wall  thrown  down  ;  that  cliristians 
might  love  one  another.  I  love  all  good  men  alike,  let  them 
be  Churchmen  or  Dissenters." 

These  Bibles  were  used  in  the  church  at  New  Stockbridge 
as  well  as  here,  and  one  incident  at  least  of  their  history 


OR,  RECORDS  OP  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.  61 

will  come  under  a  future  head.  They  are  still  in  the  pos 
session  of  the  Indians. 

In  1761,  the  two  end  doors  of  the  church  were  shut,  win 
dows  being  left ;  and  two  new  pews  were  built  in  the  places 
thus  left  vacant.  An  aisle  was  cut  through  the  center  of 
the  house,  and  the  body-seats  so  altered  as  to  make  five  in 
the  place  of  four.  Two  pews  were  also  built  over  the 
stairs,  the  house  newly  clapboarded  in  front,  and  new  win 
dows  set  in  that — the  south — side.  The  windows  on  each 
end  were  newly  glazed,  and  the  old  clapboards  and  glass 
were  employed  in  repairs  upon  the  north  side.  Besides 
this,  the  plastering  and  the  seats  in  the  gallery  were  mend 
ed.  In  this  state,  the  building  was  used  until  the  close  of 
the  Revolutionary  War,  when  what  is  now  called  "  The 
old  Meeting  House  "  was  erected. 

The  first  school-house  in  Stockbridge  was  built  by  the 
Indians  on  the  east  side  of  the  Barrington  road,  a  little 
north  of  Konkapot  Brook,  and,  of  course,  near  the  dwell 
ing  of  Capt  Konkapot.  It  was  rude,  and  covered  with 
bark.  That  built  by  Government  stood  opposite  the  house 
of  Van  Valkenburgh,  but  was  afterwards,  it  appears, 
drawn  out  of  the  village  to  the  west,  and  used  by  the 
Indians,  after  their  separation,  as  a  house  of  worship.  To 
it  was  then  removed  the  seat  of  Deacon  Pau-quau-nau-peet, 
cut  from  a  solid  log.  The  road  then  ran  directly  toward 
the  house  built  by  Mr.  John  Sergeant,  the  son,  and  now 
owned  by  Mr.  T.  Wells ;  and  the  school-house  was  passed, 
on  the  right  hand,  immediately  after  crossing  the  bridge. 

After  1736,  when  the  number  of  scholars  had  risen  to 
forty,  there  was  no  indication  of  any  great  increase.  In 
1749,  the  number  of  scholars  was  fifty-five,  though  only 
about  forty  were  present  at  one  time.  The  education 
received  was  the  same  as  that  received  by  white  children 
in  common  schools  at  that  day.  A  writer  in  the  Boston 
Post  Boy,  under  date  of  Sept.  3,  1739,  says,  "  I  have 
lately  visited  my  friends  in  Stockbridge,  and  was  well 
pleased  to  find  the  Indians  so  improved.  I  saw  seve 
ral  young  women  sewing,  but  I  was  in  special  gratified  to 
find  them  improved  in  learning.  Several  of  them  have 
made  good  proficiency,  and  can  read  in  their  Bibles,  and 
some  can  write  a  good  hand." 

After  Mr.  Woodbridge,  Mr.  John  Sergeant,  Jr.,  took 


62  STOCKBRIDGE,   PAST   AND    PRESENT; 

charge  of  the  school  for  several  years.  The  whites  seem 
to  have  attended  with  the  Indians  until  1760,  when  a 
separate  school  was  set  up  for  them. 


SECTION    XV. 

GENERAL  PROGRESS  OF  THE  MISSION  FROM    FEBRUARY    1736, 
TO    AUGUST    1739. 

The  general  prosperity  of  the  Mission  has  been  traced 
down  to  the  winter  of  1736,  and  at  this  place  we  will  again 
take  up  the  thread  of  its  history.  It  was  at  this  time  that 
Mr.  Sergeant,  having  composed  prayers  in  the  Indian  lan 
guage,  began,  at  their  desire,  to  pray  without  an  interpre 
ter.  He  had  also  translated  some  prayers  for  them. 

When  the  Indians  went  to  the  woods  this  year  at  the 
sugar  season,  Mr.  Sergeant  and  Mr.  Woodbridge  accom 
panied  them,  and  in  that  way  greatly  increased  the  oppor 
tunities  of  doing  good,  and  of  gaining  their  language. 
Night  and  morning,  Mr.  Sergeant  says,  he  led  their  devo 
tions,  and  when  the  labors  of  the  day  were  over,  taught 
the  Indians  to  sing.  His  bed  consisted  of  a  deerskin 
spread  upon  boughs  of  the  spruce,  and  three  blankets  for 
his  covering.  Their  diet  was  low,  but  cleanly,  and  well 
cooked  by  the  wives  of  Konkapot  and  Umpachenee. — 
Their  drink  was  cold  water.  Mr.  Sergeant  spent  a  part 
of  the  time  at  W-nahk-tu-kook,  and  a  part  at  Ska-te-hook ; 
changing  places  with  Mr.  Woodbridge. 

After  the  removal  of  the  Indians  to  Stockbridge  in  1736, 
Mr.  Woodbridge  boarded  with  Capt.  Konkapot  until  No 
vember,  when  he  was  married  to  Miss  Abigail  Day  of 
West  Springfield,  and  brought  her  to  Stockbridge.  They 
built  first  near  the  corner  opposite  the  house  of  Mr.  Steph 
en  W.  Jones,  but  not  long  afterwards  on  the  site  occupied 
by  Mr.  Samuel  Goodrich.  Mr.  Sergeant  still  boarded  in 
Barrington  until  Mr.  Woodbridge  had  a  shelter  of  his  own, 
and  then  shared  it  with  him. 

June  12th,  a  messenger  came  from  the  Hudson  to  call 
the  Stockbridge  Indians  to  a  council,  one  of  their  tribe  hav 
ing  been  guilty  of  a  murder.  Capt.  Konkapot,  and  Lieut. 


OK,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.  63 

Umpachenee,  while  there,  devoted  their  time  almost  wholly 
to  the  proclamation  of  the  gospel,  and  a  blessing  seemed 
to  attend  their  labors.  None  objected,  and  several  engaged 
to  remove  with  their  families  to  Stockbridge. 

June  27,  having  baptized  a  child,  Mr.  Sergeant  observes 
in  his  journal,  "the  number  of  resident  Indians  is  now 
ninety,  and  the  number  of  baptized  persons  fifty-two." 

During  the  spring  of  1737,  the  Indians  returned  regu 
larly  from  the  sugar  camp  to  spend  the  Sabbath  at  home. 
Mr.  Sergeant  about  this  time  translated  a  marriage  cere 
mony  into  the  Indian  language,  and  Nau-ku-che-wat  and 
Wau-woo-ne-meen  were  published  according  to  English 
law,  and  married  in  Christian  form. 

Generally  the  Indians  had  become  temperate,  and  any 
excess  in  individuals  was  deplored  by  the  community. — 
But  they  had  a  sore  trial  to  endure  continually.  Van 
Valkenburg  not  only  refused  to  sell  the  farm  which  Capt. 
Konkapot  had  given  him,  but,  still  more  ungrateful,  kept 
a  store  of  rum  on  hand  which  he  sold  and  gave  away  to  all 
who  would  drink.  At  what  time  he  was  compelled  by 
poverty  to  accept  the  offer  of  the  friends  of  the  Indian,  is 
not  known ;  but  he  had  gone  at  the  time  the  correspondent 
of  the  Boston  Post  Boy  visited  Stockbridge ;  and  both 
missionary  and  church  members  possessed  a  large  share  of 
Christian  grace  if  they  did  not  rejoice  over  the  fall  of  their 
enemy. 

August  7th,  1737,  Mr.  Sergeant  preached  without  an 
interpreter,  and  in  course  of  time  learned  to  speak  their 
language,  the  Indians  thought,  more  perfectly  than  a  na 
tive.  But  this  was  a  difficult  task.  He  studied  diligently 
nearly  two  years  before  he  could  pray  in  the  Indian  tongue, 
and  then  for  two  years  longer  he  was  obliged  to  keep  an 
interpreter  two  days  in  the  week  to  perfect  his  Indian  ser 
mons. 

August  21st,  Yokun,  probably  the  chief  of  that  name, 
his  wife,  and  three  children  were  baptized ;  and  Septem 
ber  14th,  Pmau-pau-soo  also,  son  of  Um-pau-mut,  Chief  of 
an  island  in  the  Hudson,  Nom-shoos,  a  Shawanoo,  and  Uk- 
hih-nau-we-qun,  another  youth ;  having  been  carefully  in 
structed  previous  to  their  reception  of  the  rite. 

And  here  it  may  be  remarked  that  Mr.  Sergeant  admit 
ted  members  upon  the  Stoddardean,  or  "  Half  way  Cove- 


64  STOCKBRIDGE,   PAST  AND   PRESENT  : 

nant  plan,  the  common  practice  of  churches  at  that  day, 
and  perhaps  all  who  were  baptized  upon  their  own  faith 
had  not  experienced  a  change  of  heart.  They  had,  they 
believed,  set  their  faces  Zionward,  and  were  anxious  to  re 
ceive  in  their  foreheads  the  seal  of  the  covenant,  that  every 
known  duty  might  be  performed,  and  that  they  might  be 
recognized  as  enlisted  soldiers  of  the  cross.  This  fact,  to 
gether  with  the  sore  temptations  to  that  sin  which  so  easily 
besets  those  once  its  victims,  that  the  Indian  has  ever  been 
called  to  endure  from  unprincipled  whites,  should  not  be 
forgotten  when  we  read  of  suspensions  and  excommunica 
tions  for  intemperance.  Besides,  the  Indians  had  been 
trained  to  intemperance  from  generation  to  generation, 
with  all  the  zeal  which  love  of  gold  could  inspire,  until 
this  second  nature  had  completely  overpowered  the  first, 
and  the  relish  for  strong  drink  was  scarcely  less  than  that 
for  food.  Never,  surely,  should  one  who  must  own  a  "  pale 
face  "  speak  of  the  Indian  as  the  guilty  party  in  this  mat 
ter.  Woe  to  the  dry  tree  when  the  Lord  visits  for  iniquity. 
Which  is  worse — to  do  our  own  sinning,  and  bear  the  con 
sequences  ourselves, — or  to  draw  the  unwary  into  the  snare, 
and  while  toe  seek  to  escape  all  ill,  make  sure  his  temporal 
and  eternal  doom  ? 

In  1738  the  Indians  received  a  present  from  the  Society 
of  £300,  which  was  laid  out  for  them  from  time  to  time  as 
they  needed,  the  first  payment  being  made  in  agricultural 
implements. 

June  19th,  of  the  same  year,  the  Sacrament  of  the 
Lord's  Supper  was  administered  for  the  first  time.  Eleven 
Indian  communicants  were  present,  and,  says  Mr.  S.,  "  at 
tended  the  ordinance  with  as  much  seriousness,  and  appar 
ent  devotion,  as  ever  I  observed  in  any  people  upon  any 
occasion  whatever." 

In  September,  1738,  the  church  numbered  fourteen 
members,  and  nearly  fifty  had  been  baptized.  "The 
children,"  an  English  visitor  remarks,  were  "  in  general  as 
mannerly  as  the  whites  of  most  country  towns."  Several 
Indians  had  built  houses  in  the  English  style ;  their  farms 
were  well  fenced,  and  in  a  measure  stocked,  and  many  of 
of  the  owners  were  diligent  and  industrious  in  business." 
The  marriage  of  Mr.  Sergeant,  August  16th,  1739,  to  Miss 
Abigail  Williams,  daughter  of  Col.  Ephraim  Williams,  was 


OR,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.  65 

particularly  gratifying  to  his  people.  Ninety  Indians  at 
tended  the  wedding,  and  demeaned  themselves  with  great 
gravity  and  propriety. 

This  was  the  year  in  which  the  church  was  opened ;  and 
another  important  movement  was  made  about  the  same 
time.  The  Indians,  at  the  suggestion  of  the  missionaries, 
laid  a  penalty  of  £40,  York  money,  upon  any  person  who 
should  bring  rum  into  Stockbridge  for  sale ;  and  Inn-keep 
ers  in  the  vicinity  were  remonstrated  with  upon  the  sin  of 
selling  spirits  to  Indians  inclined  to  excessive  drinking. 
But  this  the  evil  disposed  endeavored  to  turn  to  the  harm 
of  the  poor  Indians,  telling  them  the  missionaries  infringed 
upon  their  liberties,  that  they  were  used  worse  than  dogs 
and  slaves,  and  would  soon  be  reduced  openly  to  bondage. 
Their  efforts  succeeded  in  leading  some  to  great  excesses, 
by  way  of  testing  the  length  of  their  chain,  and  New 
Year's  Day  being  at  hand,  Mr.  S.  was  filled  with  anxiety, 
knowing  that  every  temptation  would  be  spread  before 
them  at  that  time  which  example,  precept,  and  false  lib 
erality  could  frame.  December  30th,  he  preached  as  usual, 
and  proposed  to  hold  religious  services  on  Tuesday,  Janu 
ary  1st,  hoping  to  draw  some  from  the  frolick  which  he  ex 
pected  was  in  contemplation,  in  imitation  of  the  Dutch. 
The  day  arrived,  an  abundance  of  rum  was  brought  into 
town,  but  the  Indians  were  universally  in  their  places  at 
church,  and  no  drinking  was  indulged  in. 

In  January,  1747,  Mr.  Sergeant  says,  "The  Indian 
youth  learn  English  well ;  most  of  them  understand  a  good 
deal  of  it,  and  some  speak  it  freely  and  correctly."  The 
natives  then  owned  seventeen  English  houses,  fifteen  of 
which  had  been  built  by  themselves,  and  at  their  own  cost, 
and  some  of  them  were  comfortably  furnished ;  and  this 
notwithstanding  the  great  difficulty  in  procuring  materials. 
The  number  of  settled  families  was  fifty,  and  the  greater 
part  of  them  had  been  baptized.  Thirty-five  were  mem 
bers  of  the  church,  eight  or  nine  had  died  from  the  com 
munion,  "  with  a  good  Christian  temper  and  a  well  ground 
ed  hope,"  and  others,  not  in  communion,  had  appeared  to 
die  in  the  faith.  Five  or  six  were  at  that  time  temporarily 
suspended ;  but  Mr.  S.  hoped  for  their  recovery.  After 
his  last  sickness  commenced,  Mr.  Sergeant  preached  once, 
deeply  deploring  the  stupidity  of  his  church ;  and  no  revi- 


66  STOCKBRIDGE,   PAST  AND    PRESENT; 

val  seems  to  have  been  enjoyed  from  1742  and  3,  until 
after  his  death.  At  the  time  of  that  event,  the  number  of 
Indians  was  two  hundred  and  eighteen ;  one  hundred  and 
eighty-two  had  been  baptized,  and  the  church  contained 
forty-two  native  communicants,  viz :  eighteen  males  and 
twenty-four  females :  one  hundred  and  twenty-nine  of  the 
baptized  persons  were  still  living.  The  two  hundred  and 
eighteen  individuals  constituted  fifty-three  families,  and 
twenty  of  these  owned  English  houses,  and  the  English 
style  was  in  some  measure  extended  to  out-buildings. 


SECTION    XVI. 

OUT-LABORS    OF    MR.    SERGEANT. 

The  labors  of  Mr.  Sergeant  in  other  places,  are  so  con 
nected  with  the  history  of  Stockbridge  that  they  may  not 
be  omitted. 

September  llth,  he  preached  by  appointment  at  Kauna- 
meek,  six  miles  from  New  Lebanon.  The  Indians  there 
had  invited  their  neighbors,  and  about  thirty  adults  attend 
ed.  The  Stockbridges  who  accompanied  Mr.  Sergeant  on 
this  visit,  were  faithful  in  their  mission,  and  favorable  re 
sults  soon  followed.  Au-nau-wau-neekh-heek,  the  Chief, 
brought  his  only  child,  a  daughter,  to  be  educated  soon 
after,  came  repeatedly  himself  and,  with  his  child,  was 
baptized  in  January,  1738. 

Wau-taun-ku-meet  removed  to  Stockbridge  to  receive 
instruction  soon  after  the  visit  of  Mr.  S.,  and  was  baptized, 
together  with  his  two  children,  in  the  spring  of  1738. 

In  1739,  the  out-labors  of  Mr.  Sergeant  were  very  much 
increased.  The  Indians  from  the  river  wished  for  the 
Gospel,  and  others  came  to  hear,  or  to  ask  for  a  visit  from 
the  missionary.  Danbury,  Ct.,  and  the  Highlands,  are 
particularly  mentioned  as  the  residences  of  applicants,  and 
July  1st,  seventeen  strangers  were  present  from  Wukh- 
quau-te-nauk,  a  place  in  Connecticut,  twenty-eight  miles 
below  Stockbridge,  to  hear  the  message  from  God. 

But  a  more  full  account  must  be  given  of  a  mission  un 
dertaken  by  Mr.  Sergeant  and  some  of  his  people  at  their 


OR,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.  67 

own  expense  in  May  and  June  of  1741.  It  was  to  the 
Shawanoos  on  the  Susquehannah,  and  to  the  Delawares, 
the  distance  of  the  first  from  Stockbridge  being  two  hun 
dred  and  twenty  miles.  The  Message  sent  to  their  young 
er  brother  at  Susquehannah  by  the  Stockbridges,  is  beauti 
ful,  and  their  answer  truly  characteristic ;  both  worthy  to 
be  given  entire. 

[FROM  STOCKBRIDGE.] 

"Brother,  who  have  seen  so  many  mornings  here  at  Mukh- 
hau-wau-meek,  you  live  in  friendship  with  our  Grandfather; 
our  League  reaches  as  far  as  the  great  Island,  and  the  River 
Au-wuk-saun  tu-guh.  The  reason  of  my  coming  is,  because 
I  dislike  our  way  of  living ;  our  Father  above  does  not  ap 
prove  of  it ;  we  weary  out  his  Patience. 

"  You  always  stand  in  the.presence  of  our  Father,  and  he 
would  have  his  children  turn  about  to  him.  I  arn  come  to 
turn  you  to  him.  If  you  pity  your  body  and  soul  you  will 
receive  the  Christian  Religion.  It  is  always  the  privilege  of  an 
elder  brother  to  teach  his  younger  brother  if  he  knows  any 
thing  that  is  good.  If  his  brother  be  lost,  he  will  tell  him — 
'This  is  the  way  to  life.' 

"  The  enlightening  of  the  eyes  is  in  the  Christian  religion. 
You  will  sometime  come  to  know  that  we  have  been  lost  — 
You  will  see  what  it  is  to  live  in  heathenism  it  your  eyes  are 
opened.  In  the  end  of  the  world  you  will  see  a  good  prepared 
if  you  embrace  the  Christian  religion  in  truth  ;  and  if  you  be 
lieve  it  not,  you  will  see  a  punishment  provided.  Formerly 
our  forefathers  used  to  send  messages  one  to  another ;  but 
their  speeches  were  nothing.  They  were  wont  in  the  conclu 
sion  of  their  speeches  to  say:  'now  I  see  the  sun  at  noon, 
you  shall  always  see  clearly ;  you  shall  see  nothing  amiss.' 
But  these  things  which  they  spake  in  darkness  were  nothing. 
The  only  true  light  which  enlightens  the  eyes  is  the  Christian 
Religion. 

"Brother,  this  is  our  Teacher;  we  have  brought  him  with 
us,  thinking  perhaps  he  may  open  your  eyes  a  little  that  you 
may  see  the  way  to  Eternal  Life.  We  wish  you  would  hear 
him.  He  is  our  Elder  Brother  This  Message  your  Brother 
at  Mau  he-kun  sends  you  :  he  likes  the  Christ  an  Religion" 

"When  this  message  had  been  delivered  to  the  Shawa 
noos,  they  retired  for  a  little  time,  and  on  returning  pre 
sented  the  following  reply : 

"It  is  true  we  have  one  Father  above,  and  we  are  always  in 
his  presence.  The  Indians  have  one  way  of  honoring  and 
pleasing  him,  and  the  White  people  have  another :  both  are 
acceptable  to  him.  I  am  glad  to  hear  from  my  Brother,  and 


68  STOCKBRIDGE,   PAST   AND    PRESENT; 

to  cultivate  friendship  with  him.  He  shall  always  find  me 
here  if  he  has  any  message  to  send  ;  but  Christianity  need  not 
be  a  bond  of  union  between  us.  As  for  your  Teacher,  I  can 
not  understand  him.  If  I  could  understand  him,  it  might  be 
well  to  hear  him;  but  he  speaks  in  an  unknown  tongue.'1 

Evidently  their  minds  were  fixed ;  yet  Mr.  Sergeant 
sought  still  farther  to  reason  with  them.  They  listened 
for  a  time,  but  were  too  deeply  prejudiced  both  by  the 
teachings  of  papists,  and  by  the  lives  of  nominal  Christians, 
to  open  their  minds  to  conviction,  and  he  left  them  dis 
couraged. 

Better  success  awaited  him  at  Delaware.  The  Indians 
in  that  region  understood  the  Muh-he-ka-neew  language, 
and  seemed  desirous  of  instruction ;  and  Mr.  Sergeant  en 
gaged  some  gentlemen — if  the  thing  was  found  to  be  prac 
ticable — to  obtain  lands  for  them  where  they  might  live 
contiguously,  in  which  case  he  hoped  that  a  mission  among 
them  might,  by  the  blessing  of  God,  yield  much  fruit. 

Before  leaving  home,  Mr.  Sergeant  had  sent  to  Mr. 
Pemberton  at  New  York,  for  the  Society  in  Scotland,  a 
history  of  the  progress  made  by  the  Gospel  among  the  In 
dians  ;  and  as  Mr.  Pemberton  the  next  year  selected  Mr. 
Brainard  to  labor  as  missionary  among  the  Delawares,  we 
may  perhaps  find  the  sequel  of  the  mission  from  Stock- 
bridge  in  the  life  of  that  devoted  man.  (Also  under  Ap 
pendix  D.) 

The  Nimham  family,  afterwards  distinguished  for  their 
virtues,  came  to  Stockbridge  from  the  region  last  visited ; 
and  it  was  about  the  time  of  this  mission  that  the  Nanti- 
coke  Indians,  "  from  the  south  of  Stockbridge,"  joined  the 
settlement. 

The  way  not  being  open  for  Brainard  to  commence  his 
labors  among  the  Delawares,  he  was  sent  in  the  spring  of 
1743  to  Kaunameek.  He  came  to  Stockbridge  on  his  way, 
and  took  from  here  an  interpreter,  for  whom  he  obtained 
the  commission  of  teacher  to  the  youth  of  his  flock.  He 
also  studied  the  language  with  Mr.  Sergeant  afterwards, 
which  brought  him  frequently  to  Stockbridge.  After  one 
year,  however,  he  persuaded  his  flock  to  remove  to  this 
place,  and  entered  upon  his  labors  at  the  south,  among  the 
Delawares. 

Some  remains  of  the  little  hut  built  by  Brainard  at 


OK,  RECORDS  OP  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.  69 

Kaunameek  are  still  to  be  seen,  and  a  pine  is  growing  up 
in  the  center  of  what  was  once  his  only  room.  The  bridge 
near  by,  called  "  Brainard's  Bridge,"  was  named  for  one 
in  no  way  connected  with  the  missionary ;  but  it  is,  to  his 
far  greater  honor,  almost  universally  ascribed  to  him,  as  if 
the  world  had  never  produced  more  than  one  BRAINARD. 


SECTION    XVII. 

HOLLIS    SCHOOL. 

In  1732,  Rev.  Isaac  Hollis,  of  London,  nephew  to 
Thomas  Hollis  Esq.,  patron  of  Harvard  College,  urged 
Dr.  Colman  of  Boston  to  receive  from  him  £20  sterling 
per  annum  forever,  to  be  expended  upon  a  fourth  mis 
sionary  in  New  England.  But  so  little  was  the  good 
which  had  resulted  from  the  labors  of  those  already  in  the 
field,  that  Dr.  Colman  declined  the  offer,  and  advised  Mr. 
Hollis  to  expend  the  sum  in  New  Jersey ;  a  suggestion 
with  which  he  did  not  comply.  In  1735,  however,  Dr. 
Colman  become  so  confident  of  the  success  of  the  Housa- 
tonic  mission,  that  he  wrote  to  accept  the  offer,  and  was 
answered  that  Mr.  Hollis  would  support  entirely  twenty 
Stockbridge  Indians.  The  expense  was  calculated,  and 
found  to  be  £500  a  year ;  and  presuming  that  this  was 
more  than  Mr.  Hollis  had  anticipated,  Dr.  Colman  wrote 
to  him  for  further  orders,  and  received  another  promise  to 
support  twelve,  at  a  cost  of  £25  each,  New  England  cur 
rency.  The  funds  for  the  first  year  were  sent  in  the  spring 
of  1737 ;  but  the  house  of  Mr.  Woodbridge  was  too  small 
for  their  accommodation,  and  Mr.  Sergeant  delayed  open 
ing  the  school  until  he  had  built,  which  he  did  that  sum 
mer.  His  house-keeper  seems  to  have  been  Ween-kees- 
quoh. 

January  llth,  1738,  the  twelve  boys  were  received,  and 
Mr.  Sergeant  taught  them  himself  for  one  year.  But  find 
ing  the  labor  too  great,  he  afterwards  prevailed  upon  sev 
eral  of  the  boys  to  go  from  Stockbridge,  and  reside  with 
gentlemen  who  would  devote  attention  to  their  improve- 
4* 


70  STOCKBRIDGE,  PAST  AND   PRESENT; 

ment.  Those  who  would  not  consent  to  leave  home,  board 
ed  with  their  parents  and  attended  the  school  of  Mr.  Wood- 
bridge,  receiving  only  their  clothing  from  the  bounty  of 
Mr.  Hollis.  The  interpreter  employed  by  Mr.  Brainard 
was  one  of  those  boarded  out,  and  was  taught  by  Dr.  S. 
Williams  of  Longmeadow.  His  name  was  John  Wau- 
waum-pe-quun-naunt. 

In  1741,  Mr.  Sergeant  ventured  to  propose  the  estab 
lishment  of  a  boarding  school — for  boys  at  first,  but  after 
wards  to  be  extended  to  girls.  Samuel  Holden  Esq.  of 
London,  had  presented  £100  to  the  mission  soon  after  the 
donations  of  Mr.  Hollis  commenced,  and  an  attempt  had 
been  made  to  employ  it  in  the  education  of  girls  in  fami 
lies  abroad ;  but  the  girls  were  discontented,  and  returned. 
Since  that  time  a  stronger  desire  for  instruction  had  over 
come  the  natural  feelings,  and  the  girls  were  begging  for  a 
new  trial,  offering  to  support  themselves  by  their  own  la 
bor  ;  and  two  had  been  sent  to  Northampton  for  that  pur 
pose.  Mr.  Holden's  charities  had  continued  until  his 
death,  and  his  widow  and  daughters  inherited,  with  his 
gold,  his  interest  in  the  Muh-he-ke-neew,  and  Mr.  Ser 
geant  believed  this  plan  to  be  in  accordance  with  the  de 
sires  of  Mr.  Hollis.  He  thought  too,  that  the  minds  of 
the  parents  were  prepared  to  enter  into  the  plan  free  from 
the  suspicions  of  bondage  which  had  so  long  enchained 
them. 

Mr.  Hollis  did  engage  warmly  in  the  enterprise,  and 
ordered  twelve  boys  to  be  taken  on  his  account ;  and  the 
Indians  were  delighted  with  it.  Dr.  Colman  declining  to 
draw  up  a  definite  plan,  Mr.  Sergeant  proposed  the  union 
of  a  farm  and  school,  with  two  teachers ;  the  farm  to  con 
sist  of  two  hundred  acres,  taken  from  the  unappropriated 
lands,  of  which  the  Indians  were  the  proprietors.  The 
pupils  were  to  be  between  the  ages  of  ten  and  twenty ; 
and  the  boys  were  here  to  be  trained  to  farming,  and  the 
girls  to  housekeeping ;  in  short,  it  was  to  be  a  male  and 
female  manual  labor  school. 

Col.  John  Stoddard,  Col.  Eleazer  Porter,  Maj.  Israel 
Williams,  and  Oliver  Partridge  Esqs.,  and  Rev.  Jonathan 
Edwards,  and  Rev.  Dr.  Williams,  were  chosen  as  trustees 
to  receive  and  disburse  the  funds  which  might  be  collected. 
Dr.  Colman  took  great  pains  to  circulate  copies  of  the 


OR,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.  71 

plan, — printing,  and  sending  them  to  the  Presidents  of  the 
colleges,  to  Dr.  Watts,  Dr.  Wilson,  and  other  clergymen 
in  England,  as  well  as  to  Madam  Holden,  Capt.  Coram, 
&c.  Also  to  Governor  Shirley,  Lieut.  Governor  Phipps, 
to  the  governors  and  ministers  in  Connecticut,  and  to  vari 
ous  persons  holding  stations  of  influence  in  Massachusetts. 
Mr.  Sergeant  thought  that  £200  would  be  needed  at  first, 
but  hoped  that  the  school  would  eventually  support  itself. 

The  English  inhabitants  of  Stockbridge  raised  a  sub 
scription  on  Thanksgiving  Day  of  £115  10s,  the  number 
of  subscribers  being  ten ;  eight  residents  and  two  strangers. 
The  names  of  the  residents,  besides  the  six  missionaries, 
must  be  taken  from  those  of  David  Pixley  from  Westfield, 
John  Willard  from  Canaan,  formerly  of  Westfield,  John 
Taylor  from  West  Springfield,  and  Col.  E.  Williams  jun. 
Of  the  liberality  of  Stockbridge  people  Mr.  Hopkins  re 
marks — "It  must  be  granted  that  they  discovered  a  very 
noble  and  generous  spirit.  Had  the  people  through  the 
country  given  one-tenth  part  so  much,  in  proportion  to 
their  number  and  abilities,  that  school,  and  another  for 
females,  might  have  been  set  up,  and  well  supported. 
And  had  we  in  general,  in  this  land,  such  just  and  affecting 
views  of  the  deplorable  state  of  the  Indians  as  the  people 
at  Stockbridge  have,  whose  eyes  affect  their  hearts,  I  doubt 
not  but  many  thousands  would  have  cheerfully  given 
to  forward  that  noble  and  pious  design — the  best,  I  think, 
that  has  ever  been  projected."  The  Indians  too,  were 
willing,  not  only  to  give  the  land,  and  that  which  was  good, 
but  also  to  aid  in  the  erection  of  the  building. 

But  in  the  country  at  large,  little  was  done.  A  few 
were  much  engaged,  and  after  the  great  efforts  of  Dr.  Col- 
man  had  been  put  forth,  four  names  were  obtained  upon 
the  subscription  list,  never,  however,  honored  by  payments  ! 
Doubtless  friends  sent  in  their  contributions,  but  their 
patience  was  almost  exhausted  by  the  backwardness  of 
those  to  whom  they  applied,  and  Mr.  Hollis  was  justly  as 
tonished  that  "a  people  of  such  a  name  for  religion" 
should  be  so  backward  to  promote  it  at  their  own  doors. 
But  when  we  look  across  the  sea  the  prospect  brightens, 
and  we  discover  a  just  cause  for  whatever  of  toryism  was 
found  in  Stockbridge  in  the  days  of  the  Revolution. 

The  Corporation  expressed  a  readiness  to  furnish  aid  to 


72  STOCKBRIDGE,  PAST   AND   PRESENT; 

the  enterprise ;  Mr.  Hollis  insisted  once  and  again  that  his 
twelve  boys,  taken  from  heathen  families,  should  receive 
an  education  under  the  care  of  the  mission ;  elsewhere,  if 
the  exposed  state  of  Stockbridge  during  the  war  then  rag 
ing  prevented  their  being  located  here.  Mrs.  Holden  gave 
£100,  and  Dr.  Watts  took  up  a  collection  among  a  few 
friends,  and  sent  over  £70. 

But  Capt.  Coram  took  hold  of  the  work  like  a  true 
soldier,  though  he  was  too  easily  brow-beaten  for  a  time. 
He  had  served  in  New  England,  and  knew  of  what  he 
affirmed.  The  printed  proposal  of  Mr.  Sergeant,  together 
with  Dr.  Colman's  remarks,  he  prepared  to  be  circulated  as 
a  subscription  paper,  and  presented  to  those  of  great  wealth 
and  influence  with  whom  he  was  conversant.  Many  com 
mended  the  effort,  and  only  waited  to  see  other  names  at 
the  head,  before  they  subscribed  largely.  This  promise 
was  very  distinctly  made  by  one  lady  and  gentleman  of 
great  means,  and  Capt.  Coram  resolved  to  obtain  a  name 
at  the  head  with  which  all  would  gladly  unite.  Accord 
ingly  he  drew  up  a  petition  to  the  Prince  of  Wales,  and 
presented  it  through  Dr.  Ayscough,  the  donor,  soon  after 
this,  of  the  Bible.  His  Royal  Highness  cheerfully  set 
down  his  name,  and  paid  twenty  guineas.  Next  it  was 
presented  to  the  Duke  of  Cumberland,  brother  to  the 
Prince,  with  a  request  for  ten  guineas.  But  he  answered 
that  it  would  be  shameful  to  give  so  small  a  sum  for  so 
good  a  purpose,  and  subscribed  twenty.  The  Lord  Chan 
cellor,  the  Duke  of  Dorset,  and  the  Lord  Gower,  gave 
each  five  guineas.  And  now  Capt.  Coram  thought  that 
surely  the  lady  and  gentleman  who  had  promised  so  fairly 
would  be  ready  to  add  their  names.  But  upon  presenting 
the  paper  to  them  again,  he  was  so  rudely  reproached  and 
repulsed — for  the  catholic  spirit  he  had  manifested,  it  would 
seem — that  he  sat  down  in  despair.  To  increase  his  cha 
grin,  the  kind  and  sympathetic  reply  of  Mr.  Sergeant  to 
his  letter,  a  letter  of  thanks  to  Dr.  Ayscough,  and  another 
which  he  wrote  to  them  both,  did  not  reach  him,  and  he 
felt  more  bitterly  than  was  true  the  ingrate  character  of 
the  world.  But  all  being  at  length  explained  on  the  part 
of  the  Stockbridge  people,  the  Captain  seemed  to  gird  him 
self  anew,  as  will  soon  appear. 

The  feelings  of  Mr.  Hollis  when  he  found  that  the  war 


OR,  RECORDS  OP  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.  73 

was  delaying  his  charities,  should  be  given  in  his  own  words. 
"  If  my  money,"  he  says,  "  lie  by  till  the  war  ends,  it  may 
be  a  long  time  indeed.  Do  you  see  the  least  prospect  in 
the  world  of  it  ?  Would  you  not  wish  to  see  the  Redeem 
er's  work  carried  on  while  you  live  ?  I  am  not  willing  to 
have  my  money  of  £350,  your  currency,  lying  useless  till 
the  war  is  ended.  I  do  herewith  appoint  that  there  be,  as 
soon  as  possible,  twelve  more  heathen  boys  taken  on  my 
account,  to  be  entirely  provided  for  with  lodging  and  main 
tenance,  to  be  instructed  in  the  Christian  doctrine.  And 
after  I  know  of  this  order  being  complied  with,  I  design  to 
make  a  large  remittance  for  farther  carrying  on  the  work. 
January  27,  1747." 

Again  Dr.  Colman  wrote,  August  25,  1747,  four  days 
before  his  own  death,  transcribing  another  letter  of  the 
like  import,  and  adding  that  he  had  received  a  call  from 
Mr.  Wallis  of  Boston,  nephew  of  Capt.  Coram,  who  read 
to  him  a  most  encouraging  letter  from  his  uncle  respecting 
his  farther  progress  at  Court,  a  new  school,  (probably  the 
girls  school,)  and  also  respecting  farther  benefits  to  Stock- 
bridge,  and  the  general  cause  of  education  here.  If  Mr. 
Sergeant  ever  received  a  copy  of  the  letter  from  Capt. 
Coram,  it  was  lost,  and  what  he  had  accomplished  is  not 
now  known. 

Thus  pressed  by  Mr.  Hollis,  Mr.  Sergeant  received  of 
the  Indians  a  farm  which  lay  about  a  mile  west  of  the 
church,  and  the  school-house  was  erected  south  of  the  house 
now  occupied  by  Mr.  Thomas  Wells.  It  was  thirty-six 
feet  by  thirty-eight,  had  three  fire-rooms  on  one  floor,  and 
two  rooms  without  fire,  and  a  good  cellar.  To  increase  his 
means,  which  were  not  yet  sufficient,  Mr.  Sergeant  wrote 
to  some  clergymen  in  Massachusetts  and  Connecticut,  and 
on  Fast  Day  about  £12  was  collected  in  the  second  parish 
in  Goshen,  and  in  Lebanon,  Connecticut,  £49,  Is.  was 
taken  up.  About  the  same  time  —  as  is  believed  —  Mr. 
Elery,  of  Hartford,  died,  leaving  £120  "to  the  Indians  of 
Stockbridge." 

By  the  13th  of  March,  1748,  Mr.  Sergeant  had  selected 
the  twelve  boys,  and  obtained  for  them  board  and  instruc 
tion  with  Capt.  Martin  Kellog  of  Newington,  Connecticut, 
where  they  made  good  progress  for  a  year.  Mr.  Hollis 
desired  Capt.  K.  to  pray  with  the  boys  night  and  morning, 


74  STOCKBBIDGE,  PAST   AND   PRESENT; 

and  before  and  after  meals,  and  to  endeavor  to  instill  into 
their  minds  principles  of  piety.  During  the  winter,  at 
Mr.  Sergeant's  request,  Capt.  K.  brought  them  to  Stock- 
bridge  for  examination,  and  soon  afterward  took  a  house 
here,  where  he  instructed  them  until  the  boarding-school- 
house  was  ready  for  use.  Mr.  S.  designed  to  have  gone 
with  him  during  the  next  summer,  into  New  York,  in  the 
hope  of  prevailing  upon  the  Indians  of  the  Six  Nations  to 
send  their  children  to  the  school,  but  death  prevented  the 
accomplishment  of  farther  plans  of  usefulness.  An  invi 
tation  was,  however,  accepted  by  the  Mohawks  and  Onei- 
das,  and  in  1750,  the  number  of  Mohawks  who  resided 
here — parents  and  children — was  not  far  from  ninety,  and 
among  them  was  the  noted  Chief,  Hendrick.  Hendrick 
was  born  in  1680,  and  generally  resided  at  the  Upper 
Castle  on  the  Mohawk.  His  father  was  a  Mohegan,  called 
by  his  people,  "The  Wolf."  His  sister,  Molly  Brant, 
became  the  wife  of  Sir  William  Johnson ;  and  it  was  while 
serving  the  British,  under  the  command  of  that  officer,  in 
1755,  that  the  noble  chieftain  fell.  Nicholas  also,  another 
Indian  of  distinction,  came  at  that  time  to  reside  in  Stock- 
bridge.  Mr.  Woodbridge  obtained  the  assistance  of  Won- 
wan-on-pe-quun-na-nut,  and  received  into  his  school  all  the 
Housatonic  youth,  leaving  the  boarding-school  to  provide 
alone  for  the  heathen.  The  Housatonics  generously  offered 
land  to  the  Mohawks,  on  condition  that  they  would  remove 
as  a  body  to  Stockbridge;  and  the  Commissioners  from 
Massachusetts  who  attended  the  great  Council  in  Albany 
in  June,  1751,  were  ordered  to  pass  through  Stockbridge, 
and  confer  upon  the  subject  with  those  already  here.  But 
Capt.  K.  was  not  all  that  was  desired  in  such  a  capacity ; 
and  before  the  Commissioners  had  arrived,  various  discour 
agements  had  damped  the  zeal  of  the  stranger  Indians, 
and  Hendrick,  and  many  others  had  left.  Mr.  Edwards 
was  then  here,  though  not  yet  settled,  and  he  accompanied 
the  Commissioners  to  Albany.  The  Indians  agreed  to 
return,  with  more  of  their  Chiefs,  and  hold  a  council  in 
the  autumn.  This  they  did,  and  deliberated  from  Tues 
day,  August  13th,  to  the  22d.  It  was  agreed  that  a  com- 
petant  teacher  should  be  provided,  and  that  the  Mohawks 
should  remove  to  Stockbridge,  and  place  their  children 
under  his  instruction.  Mr.  Gideon  Hawley  was  selected, 


v       OR,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.  75 

and  came  in  February.  Many  Mohawks,  Oneidas  and 
Tuscaroras  came ;  at  one  time  a  company  of  20 ;  60  schol 
ars  were  here  in  January ;  Joshua  Paine,  Esq.,  wrote  to 
Gov.  Pepperell  for  some  plan  for  a  girl's  school,  and  Mr. 
H.  was  well  liked.  But  those  who  had  the  direction  of  af 
fairs  were  at  a  distance,  both  from  each  other  and  from  Stock- 
bridge,  and  consequently  the  design,  however  good  in  its 
plan,  failed  in  its  operation.  The  Indians  again  grew  dis 
satisfied,  and  a  Council  at  length  called  upon  them  all  to 
return.  Mr.  H.,  together  with  Mr.  Woodbridge  and  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Ashley,  his  interpreters,  soon  visited  the  Oneidas 
in  their  own  country,  and  the  Commissioners  decided  to 
attempt  missions  among  the  various  tribes  on  their  own 
lands,  and  the  school  was  abandoned.  In  1754,  Mr.  Hol- 
lis  placed  his  part  of  the  funds  at  the  disposal  of  Mr.  Ed 
wards,  and  a  few  children  were  left  with  him,  and  sent,  it 
appears,  to  Dr.  Bellamy,  of  Bethlehem,  Connecticut,  at 
the  opening  of  the  war.  We  hear  no  more  of  them  after 
1756.  A  few  Housatonics  completed  their  studies  at  Dart 
mouth,  among  them  Peter  Po-qua-no-peet,  or  "  Sir  Peter," 
and  John  Konkapot.  All  town  offices  soon  came  to  be 
shared  with  the  Indians.  As  examples, — King  Benjamin 
and  Johannes  Mthoksin,  Select  Men,  and  Hendrick  Woh- 
pon-seet,  Constable  and  Tythingman ;  Daniel  Nimham  and 
David  Nau-nau-nee-ka-nut  in  other  offices  in  1760.  In 
1761,  Johannes  Mthoksin  and  Capt.  Jacob  Cheek-son-kun, 
Select  Men,  Frederic  Poh-pon-seet  Constable,  Peter  Nau- 
ne-wau-nau-koot,  Tythingman,  and  King  Benjamin  Kau- 
ke-we-nau-naunt,  and  Capt.  Cheek-son-kun  on  the  commit 
tee  for  seating  the  Church. 

In  1763,  King  Benjamin  and  Johannes  Mthoksin,  Select 
Men,  John  Nau-naum-pe-tonk,  Constable,  Robert  Naun- 
kau-wah  Surveyor  of  Highways. 

1765.  Joseph  Quinequaunt  Constable,  Solomon  Wa- 
haun-wun-wan-meet,  and  John  Nau-naum-pe-tonk,  Select 
Men,  Ephraim  Paumk-kaun-hun  Constable,  J.  Mthoksin 
Surveyor,  —  D.  Nau-nau-nee-ke-nuk  and  Abraham  Nau- 
num-pe-tonk  in  other  offices,  &c.  (See  Appendix  E.) 

Passing  on  to  the  times  of  the  Revolutionary  struggle — 
1774,  Select  Men,  Timothy  Edwards,  Esq.,  Elisha  Brown, 
Esq.,  and  Thomas  Williams,  white  ;  and  J.  Mthoksin  and 
Capt.  Solomon  Wa-haun-wun-wan-meet,  Indian.  Jehoia- 
chim  Nau-naum-pe-tonk  Constable. 


76  STOCKBRIDGE,  PAST  AND  PRESENT; 

1775.  Jehoiachim  Nau-naun-ne-kuk  Constable,  J.  Mthok 
sin  Tythingman.  1776,  J.  Mthoksin  Assessor  and  Collect 
or  of  Highways. 

1777.  J.  Mthoksin  and  Joseph   Sau-ques-quot  Select 
Men,   John  Scheebuck  Constable,  Jehoiachim  Nau-num- 
pe-tox  Tythingman. 

1778.  Select  Men  the  same    as  in   1777.     1779,    J. 
Nau-num-pe-tonk  Select  Man,  and  Abraham  Konkapot, 
oldest  son  of  the  Captain,  Constable. 

Many  now  living  will  remember  Abraham  in  the  days 
of  his  humiliation,  when  the  instructions  of  his  excellent 
father  had  been  drowned  in  the  intoxicating  bowl.  But 
Abraham  had  a  brighter  day  once,  and  he  must  be  remem 
bered  as  a  man. 


SECTION    XVIII. 

PRIVATE    LIFE    OF    MR.    AND    MRS.    SERGEANT. 

REV.  John  Sergeant  was  born  in  Newark,  New  Jersey, 
in  1710.  His  father  died  while  he  was  yet  very  young, 
and  he  was  educated  by  his  step-father,  Col.  John  Cooper. 
He  entered  Yale  College  in  1725,  received  his  first  degree 
in  1729,  and  his  second  in  1732,  having,  previous  to  the 
last  date,  been  chosen  to  the  office  of  Tutor.  In  these  sh> 
nations  he  obtained  the  esteem  of  his  fellow  students,  his 
teachers,  and  his  pupils,  for  his  amiable  and  upright  de 
portment,  and  stood  well  as  a  scholar.  Being  fitted  for  the 
ministry,  his  mind  turned  with  strong  yearnings  toward  the 
heathen,  and  it  was  his  daily  prayer  that  he  might  be  em 
ployed  as  a  missionary  among  them.  The  answer  to  these 
prayers,  and  the  results  which  attended  his  labors,  we  have 
seen ;  a  few  particulars  relating  to  the  private  life  of  Mr. 
Sergeant  and  his  family,  will  complete  the  history. 

And  first — they  suffered  many  privations.  The  salary 
of  Mr.  Sergeant,  at  first  £100,  New  England  currency,  was 
raised  at  the  time  of  his  ordination,  to  £150 — £1,  7s.  6d. 
being  equal  to  an  ounce  of  silver.  But  after  six  years,  it 
was  found  that  owing  to  depreciation  it  was  constantly  less- 


OR,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD    MISSION  STATION.  77 

ening,  and  it  was  again  raised  to  £200.  The  last  year  of 
his  life  he  received  £300,  £2,  17s.  9d  being  then  but  equal 
to  an  ounce  of  silver.  But  all  the  necessaries  of  life 
must  be  procured  at  great  expense ;  and  this  inconvenience 
to  him  increased ; — wheat,  for  instance,  rising  from  eight 
to  forty  shillings,  and  luxuries  and  many  conveniences, 
must  be  quite  dispensed  with.  When  he  built  the  first 
time,  he  was  obliged  to  incur  debts,  and  to  call  both  upon 
the  Commissioners  and  upon  the  Legislature  for  aid.  This 
was  the  front  part  of  the  house  now  occupied  by  Mr. 
Henry  J.  Carter.  The  building  of  the  house  on  the  Hill 
is  not  mentioned  in  History,  but  when  Mr.  Sergeant  died, 
a  part  of  the  lot  set  off  to  him  by  Government,  had  been 
sold,  and  his  debts  were  over  £700,  New  England  curren 
cy,  probably  owing  to  expenses  incurred  at  that  time.  The 
change  of  location  was  on  account  of  fever  and  ague.  The 
large  portion  given  to  the  first  settlers  of  Stockbridge  is 
sometimes  allowed  to  divest  them  of  the  character  of  mis 
sionaries,  but  wild  land  was  one  thing,  and  a  farm  near 
Stockbridge  village  at  the  present  day,  quite  another.  One 
fourth  of  West  Springfield,  we  are  told,  was  exchanged  by 
its  white  owner  for  a  rudely  constructed  wheel-barrow ;  a 
good  illustration  of  the  Jirst  value  of  land.  The  Stock- 
bridge  Missionaries,  it  is  true,  had  large  farms  given  them, 
but  they  themselves  were  to  render  those  farms  valuable. 
They  were  missionaries,  who,  after  the  first  gift,  were  to 
support  themselves  by  manual  labor. 

Secondly,  Mr.  Sergeant  lost  the  use  of  his  left  hand  in 
his  boyhood,  and  could  not  bring  his  farm  under  culture 
by  his  own  exertions ;  but  he  labored,  perhaps  more  abun 
dantly,  than  they  all.  He  prepared,  when  able  to  preach 
in  the  Indian  language,  four  sermons  each  week  during  the 
summer,  and  three  during  the  winter,  writing  the  Indian 
sermons  first  in  English,  and  then  in  Indian,  besides  study 
ing  carefully  all  his  Scripture  readings. 

Then  he  must  be  not  only  the  Father  of  his  people,  but 
their  Library  and  Printing  Press.  Their  language,  too, 
the  reader  will  have  perceived,  was  very  difficult  of  pro 
nunciation,  and  so  much  speaking  wore  constantly  upon 
his  strength.  He  had,  moreover,  little  aid  from  ministe 
rial  brethren.  It  is  amusing  now  to  sit  in  our  comfortable 
homes,  and  as  we  look  out  upon  the  scenery  around,  and 


78  STOCKBRIDGE,  PAST    AND  PRESENT  ; 

hear  the  merry  whistle  of  the  cars,  to  read  the  directions 
published  in  1750  for  finding  the  location  of  Stockbridge 
on  a  Map,  the  name  not  having  then  been  entered.  Yet 
it  was  anything  but  amusing  to  live  here  one  hundred  years 
ago,  with  "  a  wilderness  of  forty  miles  on  the  east,  a  wood 
of  twenty  on  the  west,  and  that  great  and  terrible  wilder 
ness  on  the  north  of  several  hundred  miles  in  extent,  which 
reached  to  Canada." 

Thirdly,  the  constant  efforts  of  interested  persons  to 
sour  and  alarm  the  minds  of  the  Indians,  and  the  fall  now 
and  then  of  one  for  whom  he  had  entertained  delightful 
hopes,  cost  Mr.  Sergeant  anxious  and  sleepless  nights,  and 
caused  him  to  spend  days  in  secret  fasting  and  prayer.  He 
was  charged  too,  with  heresy,  which,  had  he  not  been  of  a 
forgiving  spirit,  would  have  drawn  him  into  angry  contro 
versy.  In  the  first  French  war,  soldiers  were  stationed 
here,  and  the  house  of  Mr.  Sergeant  was  garrisoned ;  and 
we  may  suppose  he  was  often  unfitted  by  surrounding  cir 
cumstances,  for  the  close  application  which  his  pastoral 
duties  required. 

But  if  he  had  trials,  he  had  also  blessings.  In  his  wife 
he  seemed  very  happy,  and  she  is  highly  spoken  of  by  his 
biographer.  He  had  many  friends  in  this  country,  and 
unseen  friends  in  Great  Britain,  who  not  only  ministered 
to  the  necessities  of  his  body  but  often  wrote  to  comfort 
and  refresh  his  spirit  under  his  toils  ;  and  he  had  a  cove 
nant-keeping  God  and  Father  who  nourished  and  cher 
ished  him  with  gracious  influences  from  above,  and  gave 
him  many  to  be  "  seals  of  his  ministry,  and  stars  in  the 
crown  of  his  rejoicing  in  the  day  of  the  Lord  Jesus." 

The  fatal  disease  of  Mr.  Sergeant  was  a  nervous  fever, 
attended  with  canker,  and  lasted  twenty  days.  The  In 
dians,  of  their  own  accord,  assembled  universally  in  the 
church,  and  spent  a  day  in  fasting  and  prayer  on  his  be 
half;  and  when  he  calmly  breathed  his  spirit  into  the  hands 
of  his  Savior,  they  sincerely  mourned  their  loss.  He  died 
July  27,  1749,  at  the  age  of  thirty-nine. 

The  following  lines  inscribed  upon  the  stone  which  cov 
ers  his  grave,  were  composed  by  one  of  the  Indians : 
"  Where  is  that  pleasing  form?  I  ask;  thou  cans  t  not  show: 
He's  not  within,  false  stone  there's  nought  but  death  below. 
And  where's  that  pious  soul,  that  thinking,  conscious  mind'? 
Wilt  thou  pretend,  vain  cypher,  that's  with  thee  enshrined  l 


OR,  feECORDS  OP  AN  OLD  MISSION   STATION.  79 

Alas,  my  friends,  not  here  with  thee  that  I  can  find ; 
Here's  not  a  Sergeant's  body,  or  a  Sergeant's  mind. 
I'll  seek  him  hence,  for  all's  alike  deception  here, 
I'll  go  to  heaven,  and  I  shall  find  my  Sergeant  there." 

Mr.  Sergeant  left  three  children — Electa,  the  first  white 
child  born  in  Stockbridge,  though  not  the  first  child  of 
white  Stockbridge  parents ;  born  1740,  or  '41 ;  Erastus, 
and  John,  an  infant. 

Electa  married  Col.  Mark  Hopkins,  of  Great  Barring- 
ton,  brother  of  the  divine  of  that  name,  but  died  an  inhab 
itant  of  Stockbridge,  at  the  house  of  her  son,  Mr.  Archi 
bald  Hopkins,  July  11, 1798,  at  the  age  of  fifty-eight. 

Col.  Hopkins  died  at  White  Plains  two  days  previous 
to  the  battle  fought  there,  viz.,  October  26,  1776,  at  the 
age  of  thirty-seven. 

Erastus  will  be  mentioned  among  the  Physicians  of 
Stockbridge,  of  whom  he  was  the  first. 

John  was  afterwards  Missionary  to  the  Indians  in  New 
Stockbridge,  New  York.  He  died  September  8,  1824, 
aged  seventy-seven. 

Mrs.  Sergeant  married  Gen.  Joseph  Dwight,  in  1752, 
and  continued  in  the  house  built  by  her  husband  until  after 
the  close  of  the  second  French  war,  when  they  removed 
to  Barrington.  In  1765,  her  husband  died,  and  she  re 
turned,  not  long  afterward,  to  reside  with  Dr.  Sergeant,  in 
her  old  home,  where  she  died,  February  15,  1791,  aged 
sixty-nine.  She  left  five  children;  the  three  already, 
named,  and  two  by  the  name  of  Dwight,  viz.,  Pamela, 
afterwards  Mrs.  Judge  Sedgwick,  who  died  September  20, 
1807,  aged  fifty-four,  and  Henry  W.,  who  died  also  in 
Stockbridge,  September  15,  1804,  aged  forty-seven. 


SECTION    XIX. 

THE    INDIANS    IN    WAR   AND    IN    PEACE. 

THE  Muh-he-ka-neew  Nation  were  eminent  among  the 
other  tribes,  both  for  their  valor  in  war,  and  for  their  vir 
tues  in  time  of  peace.  Besides  the  wars  mentioned  in 


80  STOCKBRIDGE,  PAST  AND  PRESENT  J 

Section  second,  tradition  tells  us  of  a  sanguinary  conflict 
between  the  Stockbridge  and  Tunxis  Tribes,  in  Northamp 
ton.  About  the  year  1821,  in  excavating  the  Northamp 
ton  and  New  Haven  Canal,  near  the  mouth  of  the  Pequa- 
buck,  a  number  of  human  skeletons  were  thrown  out, 
which  after  a  time  were  re-interred,  a  monument  being 
erected  over  the  grave.  On  this  is  an  inscription,  which 
speaks  of  the  tradition  that  the  spot  was  once  an  Indian 
burial  ground,  as  well  as  the  field  of  the  above  mentioned 
engagement. 

A  newspaper  article  ran  through  the  country  in  1849, 
which  mentions  the  Stockbridges  as  "  a  remnant  of  the 
Mohegan  Confederation  which  in  the  days  of  King  Philip, 
waged  such  dreadful  war  with  the  Pilgrims."  This  is  a 
mistake.  In  1632,  the  Mohegans,  with  others,  visited 
Governor  "W.  and  entered  into  an  alliance  with  the 
whites;  but  in  1637,  they  joined  the  Pequods.  They 
were,  however,  withdrawn  through  the  influence  of  Roger 
Williams ;  and  when  the  bold  Miantonimo  revolted  from 
his  allegiance,  and  became  again  the  foe  of  the  English, 
they  took  him  prisoner,  delivered  him  up  to  the  whites, 
and  finally  became  his  executioners.  In  1675,  when  the 
"  Pifgrims"  were  mostly  dead,  Philip,  enraged  doubtless 
by  the  cruelties  which  had  shortened  the  life  of  his  brother 
Alexander,  the  son  and  successor  of  Massasoit,  waged  war 
with  the  English,  but  the  Mohegans,  faithful  to  their  league, 
were  again  friends  to  the  white  man.  Joined  with  Con 
necticut  soldiers,  under  Major  Talcot,  in  August  of  '75, 
they  overtook  and  cut  in  pieces  a  body  of  two  hundred 
hostile  Indians,  at  Housatonic  River  (Au-so-tun-noog,) 
midway  between  Westfield  and  Albany,  killing  and  taking 
prisoners  forty-five,  twenty-five  of  them  being  warriors. 
Major  T.  lost  but  one  man,  and  that  one  a  Mohegan ;  and 
Hubbard,  the  historian  of  the  event,  mentions  no  hostile  In 
dians  in  this  vicinity,  which  his  own  hostility  would  surely 
have  led  him  to  do  had  any  been  known.  A  band  of  In 
dians  from  the  Green  River  once  invaded  Wethersfield, 
but  Green  River  was  then  above  Deerfield,  what  we  now 
call  the  Green,  being  called  the  "White  River.  So  that 
were  the  Stockbridges  a  remnant,  and  not  the  root  of  the 
Mohegans,  the  charge  would  be  groundless.  They  seem 
to  have  lived  always  in  peace  with  the  whites.  In  1784, 


OR,  RECORDS  OP  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.  81 

in  preparing  the  ground  for  a  church  in  this  place,  many 
human  bones  were  found  ;  and  at  different  times  within  a 
few  years,  the  last  time  during  the  present  autumn,  (1853,) 
similar  remains  have  been  discovered  on  what  was  the 
"  Settle  Lot,"  of  Joseph  Woodbridge,  in  and  near  the  yard 
to  his  dwelling.  Probably  these  are  the  remains  of  those 
slain  in  1775,  as,  had  they  been  the  bones  of  Stockbridges, 
that  Tribe  would  not  have  allowed  the  ground  to  be  taken 
up. 

January  20,  1740,  the  church  was  filled  with  strangers, 
met  here  to  consult  with  the  resident  Indians  upon  the 
subject  of  the  French  War,  with  the  view  of  standing  neu 
tral.  Wampum  had  been  sent  by  the  Scat-te-kooks,  and 
three  belts  were  prepared  here.  One  sent  to  an  eastern 
tribe  conveyed  these  sentiments,  "  Let  us  have  a  tender 
regard  to  our  families.  The  white  people,  with  whom  we 
respectively  live  in  alliance,  are  about  to  enter  into  war. 
We  only  destroy  ourselves  by  meddling  with  their  wars. 
They  are  great  and  strong,  and  reach  to  the  clouds.  Let 
us  sit  and  look  on  when  they  engage.  Don't  let  any  of 
your  people  engage  in  their  wars ;  and  while  they  fight,  let 
us  sit  and  smoke  together." 

The  third,  sent  to  Norridgewock,  is  equally  wise  and 
shrewd :  "  Brother  at  Nau-nau-choo-wuk.  Though  you  had 
begun  a  war  with  the  English,  you  would  regard  us  if  we 
should  desire  you  to  leave  off.  You  will,  without  doubt, 
not  intermeddle,  if  we  insist  upon  it.  May  be  the  Eng 
lish  think  the  Indians  prevent  their  conquering  their  ene 
mies,  the  French ;  therefore  let  us  sit  and  smoke  together, 
and  see  who  will  be  conquerors." 

The  influence  of  the  French  prevented  the  carrying  out 
of  this  plan ;  yet  the  Stockbridge  Indians  were  felt  and 
acknowledged  to  be  a  great  protection  to  this  and  neighbor 
ing  towns.  Stockbridge  lay  in  the  direct  route,  and  it  was 
constantly  feared  that  the  French  and  Indians  would  be 
down  from  the  north,  and  sweep  the  little  mission  station 
before  them ;  but  the  tide  divided,  and  passed  to  the  east 
and  west  of  us,  the  hostile  not  daring  to  encounter  the 
Jriendly  Indians. 

In  the  spring  of  1755,  at  the  opening  of  the  French  and 
Indian  war,  two  Schagh-ti-coke  Indians,  a  father  and  son, 
were  making  sugar  near  where  the  Hop  Brook  Shakers 


82         STOCKBRIDGE,  PAST  AND  PRESENT  J 

are  now  settled.  While  the  father  was  gathering  sap,  two 
white  men  passed  the  camp,  leading  horses  without  sad 
dles,  and  with  bark  halters.  When  he  returned,  the  son 
mentioned  the  circumstance  to  him,  and  he  at  once  sus 
pected  the  horses  to  have  been  stolen.  Taking  his  gun,  he 
followed  the  men,  and  was  shot  at  the  moment  he  overtook 
them,  and  beaten  to  death.'  The  whites  were  pursued, 
overtaken,  carried  to  Springfield  and  tried,  but  acquitted  of 
murder.  One  received  a  slight  punishment  for  manslaugh 
ter,  but  the  other  was  fully  discharged.  This  enraged  the 
Schagh-ti-cokes,  and  they  resolved  upon  revenge. 

One  Sabbath  noon,  during  the  following  summer,  while 
many  of  the  inhabitants  were  still  at  church,  a  man,  pass 
ing  the  house  of  Mr.  Chamberlain,  which  stood  on  the 
hill,  on  the  site  now  occupied  by  Mrs.  Joseph  Hull,  saw  an 
Indian  leave  the  house,  dragging  something  after  him. 
Supposing  it  to  be  one  of  the  Stockbridge  Indians,  who 
was  taking  advantage  of  the  absence  of  the  family  to  plun 
der,  he  ran  towards  him,  when  the  Indian,  seeing  he  was 
discovered,  struck  his  tomahawk  into  the  head  of  his  vic 
tim,  and  immediately  fled.  It  was  a  little  child  of  three 
years  old.  Entering  the  house,  the  man  saw  an  infant 
taken  from  the  cradle,  and  its  brains  dashed  out  against  the 
mantle  by  another  Indian,  who  also  fled,  while  Mr.  Owen, 
a  hired  servant,  who  in  this  case  was  more  faithful  than 
the  husband  and  father,  had  fallen  in  defending  Mrs. 
Chamberlain,  and  lay  upon  the  floor  nearly  dead  with  his 
wounds.  Mr.  Chamberlain,  and  two  little  boys  were  on 
the  bed  in  an  adjoining  room.  One  of  the  children  crept 
under  the  bed,  and  the  other  hid  between  the  straw  and 
feathers,  but  the  father,  in  his  fright,  jumped  out  at  the 
window  and  fled. 

Col.  Ephraim  Williams  had  sold  his  place  on  the  hill 
and  left  town,  and  the  house — the  same  which  was  after 
wards  owned  by  Dr.  West — was  garrisoned  during  that 
war,  and  Owen  was  immediately  taken  there.  Mr.  Math- 
ew  Cadwell,  father  of  Mr.  David  Cadwell,  was  sent  to 
Sheffield  for  a  physician,  there  being  none  nearer  at  the 
time;  but  Owen  died.  The  alarm  spread  through  the 
town  like  that  of  fire.  Lawrence  Lynch,  from  Ireland, 
father  to  Mr.  Moses  Lynch,  late  of  this  place,  was  living 
at  Gen. — then  Col. — Dwight's.  In  the  fright,  he  took  Pa- 


OR,  RECORDS  OP  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.  83 

mela,  the  infant,  in  his  arms,  and  fled  on  foot  to  Barring- 
ton,  with  the  whole  family,  little  John  Sergeant  not  staying 
to  put  shoe  or  stocking  to  the  feet  which  were  unluckily 
bare  at  the  moment. 

Scouts  had  been  sent  to  Pittsfield  and  Lenox  the  day 
before  this  affair,  to  bring  in  the  few  families  who  were 
located  in  those  towns,  the  hostile  attitude  of  the  northern 
Indians  having  occasioned  much  alarm.  As  they  were  re 
turning  on  the  Sabbath,  they  were  met  near  the  house  of 
Mr.  Morell,  on  the  Lenox  road,  by  the  same  two  Indians, 
and  one  man  named  Stevens,  who  rode  in  front,  was  shot. 
The  Indians  were  not  seen  until  after  the  gun  was  fired, 
and  they  immediately  fled.  The  life  of  Mrs.  Stevens  was 
saved  by  Mr.  Hinsdale,  the  first  settler  of  Lenox.  Re 
venge  being  thus  taken,  the  Indians  were  satisfied,  and 
seem  to  have  returned  quietly  to  their  Tribe. 

During  Sabbath  night  and  next  day,  many  came  to  as 
sist  the  Stockbridge  people,  and  the  fort  was  well  manned. 
But  those  who  came  had  no  regard  for  the  Stockbridge 
Indians,  and  only  increased  the  dissatisfaction  already  felt 
at  the  treatment  of  the  Schagh-ti-cokes.  They  charged 
our  Indians  with  the  murders,  and  threatened  them  with 
death.  Nor  were  all  the  inhabitants  of  Stockbridge  pos 
sessed  of  a  missionary  spirit.  There  were  those  so  bar 
barous  even  as  to  promise  a  reward  to  some  soldiers  who 
came  this  way,  if  they  would  bring  to  them  the  scalp  of  a 
Canadian  Indian ;  and  the  soldiers,  still  more  barbarous, 
exhumed  a  Stockbridge  Indian  who  had  lately  died,  and 
took  the  scalp  from  his  head.  The  fraud  was  detected,  and 
the  crime  punished ;  but  the  grief  and  indignation  of  the 
Indians  was  greatly  increased.  Yet  an  Indian  can  for 
give.  Governor  Shirley  soon  drew  off  nearly  every  fight 
ing  man  among  them,  with  the  promise  that  whites  should 
be  stationed  here  to  protect  their  homes  during  their  ab 
sence,  and  Mr.  Hawley,  who  had  been  driven  back  by  the 
war,  enlisted  as  Chaplain. 

At  the  opening  of  the  Revolutionary  War,  a  Stockbridge 
chief  delivered  the  following  speech  before  the  Massachu 
setts  Legislature,  1779. 

"  Brothers — You  remember  when  you  first  came  over  the 
great  water,  I  was  great  and  you  were  little ;  very  small.  I 
then  took  you  in  for  a  friend,  and  kept  you  under  my  arms  so 


84  STOCKBRIDGE,  PAST  AND  PRESENT J 

that  no  one  might  injure  you.  Since  that  time  we  have  been 
true  friends  :  there  has  never  been  any  quarrel  between  us, 
But  now  our  conditions  are  changed.  You  are  become  great 
and  tall.  You  reach  to  the  clouds.  You  are  seen  all  round 
the  world.  I  am  become  small ;  very  little.  I  am  not  so 
high  as  your  knee.  Now  you  take  care  of  me,  and  I  look  to 
you  for  protection. 

Brothers  !  I  am  sorry  to  hear  of  this  great  quarrel  between  you 
and  old  England.  It  appears  that  blood  must  soon  be  shed 
to  end  this  quarrel.  We  never  till  this  day  understood  the 
foundation  of  this  quarrel  between  you  and  the  country  you 
came  from.  Brothers  !  Whenever  I  see  your  blood  running, 
you  will  soon  see  me  about  you  to  revenge  my  Brother's 
blood.  Although  I  am  low  and  very  small,  I  will  gripe  hold 
of  your  enemy's  heel,  that  he  cannot  run  so  fast  and  so  light, 
as  if  he  had  nothing  at  his  heels. 

"  Brothers  !  You  know  I  am  not  so  wise  as  you  are,  there 
fore  I  ask  your  advice  in  what  I  am  now  going  to  say.  I  have 
been  thinking,  before  you  come  to  action,  to  take  a  run  to  the 
westward,  and  feel  the  mind  of  my  brethren,  the  Six  Nations, 
and  know  how  they  are  to  stand  ;  whether  they  are  on  your 
side,  or  for  your  enemies.  If  I  find  they  are  a«ainst  you,  I 
will  try  to  turn  their  minds.  I  think  they  will  listen  to  rne, 
for  they  have  always  looked  this  way  for  advice  concerning 
all  important  news  that  comes  from  the  rising  sun.  If  they 
hearken  to  me.  you  will  not  be  afraid  of  any  danger  from  be 
hind  you.  However  their  minds  are  affected,  you  shall  soon 
know  by  me.  Now  I  think  I  can  do  you  more  service  in  this 
way,  than  by  marching  off  immediately  to  Boston  and  staying 
there.  It  may  be  a  great  while  before  blood  runs.  Now,  as 
I  said,  you  are  wiser  than  I.  I  leave  this  for  your  considera 
tion,  whether  I  come  down  immediately,  or  wait  till  I  hear 
som'e  blood  is  spilled. 

"  Brothers  !  I  would  not  have  you  think  by  this,  that  we 
are  falling  back  from  our  engagements.  We  are  ready  to  do 
any  thing  for  your  relief,  and  shall  be  guided  by  your  counsel. 

"  Brothers !  One  thing  I  ask  of  you,  if  you  send  for  me  to 
fight,  that  you  will  let  me  fight  in  my  own  Indian  way.  I  am 
not  used  to  fight  English  fashion  ;  therefore  you  must  not  ex 
pect  I  can  train  like  your  men.  Only  point  out  to  me  where 
your  enemies  keep,  and  that  is  all  I  shall  want  to  know," 


OR,   RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.  85 


SECTION    XX. 


REMOVAL    OF    THE    INDIANS    FROM    STOCKBRIDGE. 

THE  gratitude  of  the  Oneidas  to  the  Stockbridge  tribe 
for  aid  received  when  a  powerful  tribe  from  the  west  were 
about  to  destroy  them,  was  effectively  manifested  by  the 
gift  of  a  tract  of  land  in  what  is  now  the  county  of  Mad 
ison,  New  York.  The  question  of  removal  was  agitated 
previously  to  the  Revolutionary  struggle,  but  the  war  ren 
dered  it  inexpedient,  and  the  main  body  did  not  remove 
until  1785.  Various  families  still  lingered.  The  widow 
of  Captain  Nimham  remained  for  several  years  in  Glen- 
dale,  and  with  her  a  beautiful  and  excellent  daughter 
named  Lucretia.  Captain  Yoke  or  Yokun,  lived  near  the 
residence  of  Mrs.  Hopkins ;  Catharine,  the  widow  of  King 
Solomon,  on  the  same  street,  but  nearer  to  the  village ; 
Widow  Elizabeth  in  her  little  log-house,  neatly  lined  with 
matting,  near  Mr.  Sheldon's,  and  some  of  the  last  snows  of 
winter  linger  in  the  dell  called  "  the  Widow  Pochow 
Place."  John  Schebuck  wandered  from  house  to  house ; 
and  once  when  pointed  to  the  door,  by  a  beautiful  young 
bride  from  "  the  Cape,"  he  indignantly  asked  if  a  "  Scape 
Scodder  thought  to  come  here,  turning  out  old  'habit 
ants  ?"  Abraham  Konkapot,  and  Hannah  his  wife,  were 
the  last  to  leave  the  old  home. 

Mr.  Kirkland  had  labored  among  the  Oneidas  for  several 
years,  keeping  his  family  in  Stockbridge,  and  that  tribe 
seem  to  have  been  looked  upon  by  others  as  peculiarly 
favored.  The  state  of  things  at  the  time,  the  character  of 
those  with  whom  the  Stockbridges  were  to  be  associated, 
&c.,  will  best  be  seen  by  letters  from  them,  and  also  by  one 
from  Mr.  Kirkland ;  besides  that,  they  are  interesting  spe 
cimens  *>f  Indian  composition.  To  Mr.  Kirkland  after  the 
close  of  they  war  they  wrote : 

"  We  entreat  our  Father  to  make  one  trial  more  for  chris 
tianizing  Indians  at  least  for  one,  if  not  for  two  years,  and  if 
there  be  no  encouragement  after  that,  that  we  shall  be  built 

9 


86  STOCKBR1DGE,  PAST  AND  PRESENT  J 

up  as  a  people,  and  embrace  the  religion  of  Jesus,  he  may 
leave  us  and  we  shall  expect  nothing  but  ruin." 

And  to  the  "  Scot's  Commissioners  at  Boston :" 
"  Fathers — We  have  been  distressed  by  the  black  cloud 
that  so  long  overspread  our  country;  the  cloud  is  now  blown 
over;  let  us  thank  the  Great  Spirit  and  praise  Jesus.  By 
means  of  the  servants  of  Jesus,  the  good  news  of  God's 
Word  hath  been  published  to  us.  We  have  received  it. 
Some  of  us  love  it  and  Jesus  hath  preserved  us  through  the 
late  storm.  Fathers  our  fire  begins  to  burn  again  ;  our  hearts 
rejoice  to  hear  it  ;  we  hope  it  will  burn  brighter  than  ever  ; 
and  that  it  will  enlighten  the  nations  around.  Our  brothers 
of  the  Stockbridge  and  Mohegan  tribes,  and  many  others 
from  the  eastwa  d,  have  already  agreed  to  come  and  sit  with 
us  around  it,  who  all  hope  to  see  also  the  light  of  God  s  Holy 
Word.' 
March  10,  1784,  Mr.  Kirkland  says : 

"  The  Oneidas  expect  in  the  course  of  two  years  to 
have  more  than  a  thousand  Indians  in  their  vicinity  who 
will  be  disposed  to  attend  to  the  word  of  God,  and  among 
them  some  hearty  lovers  of  the  religion  of  Jesus,  as  them 
selves  express  it.  About  eighty  of  the  Delaware  tribe  have 
lately  petitioned  the  Oneidas  for  a  settlement  in  their  neigh 
borhood,  where  they  might  have  the  privilege  of  religious 
instruction.  Their  request  was  immediately  granted.'' 

Mr.  John  Sergeant  had  been  educated  at  Newark,  New 
Jersey,  and  though  without  college  honors,  was  judged  to 
be  fully  qualified,  after  a  period  of  stndy  with  Rev.  Dr. 
West  of  Stockbridge,  to  preach  the  gospel.  In  1775,  Dr. 
West  committed  to  his  care  the  Indian  part  of  his  congre 
gation,  as  his  knowledge  of  the  language  peculiarly  fitted 
him  for  that  department  of  labor ;  and  from  that  time  he 
received  the  salary  of  the  Missionary,  and  Dr.  West  was 
supported  by  the  whites,  as  pastor  only.  The  missionary 
salary  was  then  received  from  Scotland.  During  the  Rev 
olution,  it  was  discontinued ;  but  was  all  paid  up  afterwards. 
The  Massachusetts  Missionary  Society,  at  a  later  date,  as 
sumed  in  part  the  support  of  the  station.  The  salary  of 
Mr.  John  Sergeant,  jun.,  when  duly  set  apart  for  the  work, 
was  four  hundred  dollars. 

At  the  emigration  of  the  Indians,  Mr.  Sergeant  was  un 
decided  what  course  to  pursue.  The  Indians  were  dis 
missed  from  this  church,  and,  to  the  number  of  sixteen, 


OR,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.  87 

formed  into  a  church  by  themselves.  Mr.  Sergeant  re 
mained  with  his  family,  and  they  left,  sheep  without  a 
shepherd.  Soon,  however,  Rev.  Sampson  Occum,  a  distin 
guished  Mohegan  preacher,  visited  New  Stockbridge,  gain 
ed  favor  with  the  people,  and  manifested  a  wish  to  be  set 
tled  over  them.  In  178G  Mr.  Sergeant  visited  his  little 
flock,  intending  to  preach  to  them  in  future,  and  leave  his 
family  in  old  Stockbridge.  But  there  was  a  division,  one 
party  preferring  their  old  pastor  and  teacher,  and  the 
other  choosing  a  minister  of  their  own  race.  The 
result  was  the  formation  of  two  churches,  to  one  of  which 
Mr.  Occum  ministered  until  his  sudden  death,  which  Mr. 
Sergeant  says  in  his  journal  was  "  about  1791."  Mr. 
Sergeant  had  been  ordained  as  Evangelist  in  1788,  with  a 
view  to  his  mission  at  N.  Stockbridge ;  and  after  the  death 
of  Mr.  O.,  Rev.  Mr.  Ells  of  New  Haven,  a  missionary, 
visited  the  Stockbridge  Indians,  and  formed  a  plan  of  union 
between  the  churches. 


SECTION   XXI. 


RESIDENCE    AT    NEW    STOCKBRIDGE. 

FOR  some  time  Mr.  Sergeant  kept  his  family  in  Massa 
chusetts  and  spent  a  part  of  his  time  here,  an  Indian 
woman  keeping  house  for  him  at  New  Stockbridge ;  but 
when  his  daughters  were  old  enough  to  superintend  his  fam 
ily  concerns  among  the  Indians,  two  of  them  in  turn  spent 
a  year  with  him  there,  to  the  great  joy  of  his  people.  The 
time  of  change  was  a  public  day  to  them  ;  they  met  to  de 
liver  farewell  addresses,  and  to  give  new  and  significant 
names  to  those  who  had  left  for  a  time  the  pleasures  of 
more  civilized  society  to  accompany  and  aid  their  "  Father" 
in  his  efforts  to  do  them  good.  They  were  ready  in  sup 
plying  the  missionary  with  such  comforts  as  they  could 
procure,  and  manifested  a  tender  regard  for  his  welfare. 
More  than  this,  they  showed  a  disposition  to  strengthen  and 
encourage  him  in  his  missionary  labors.  "  Father,"  said 


88          STOCKBRIDGE,  PAST  AND  PRESENT  J 

they  in  an  address  delivered  in  1791,  "we  hope  you  will 
keep  up  good  courage,  and  we  will  try  all  we  can  to 
strengthen  your  hands  in  all  your  labors  of  love  to  promote 
the  peace,  happiness  and  prosperity  of  our  nation." 

The  charity  of  some  eastern  friends,  together  with  assist 
ance  from  his  people,  enabled  Mr.  Sergeant  to  erect  a 
framed  building,  in  which  he  settled  his  family :  but  the 
Indians  afterwards  built  a  dam  to  obtain  water  power ;  and 
the  flooded  timber,  as  it  decayed,  so  corrupted  the  atmos 
phere,  that  he  was  obliged  to  build  again  beyond  the  reach 
of  the  miasma.  Those  of  his  family  who  were  sensitive  to 
the  unhealthful  influence,  removed ;  the  others  remained, 
and  his  time  was  divided  between  them.  The  Indians 
themselves  suffered  much:  sickness  prevailed  and  many 
died.  At  length,  wiser  perhaps  than  wt,  they  drained  the 
pond  made  by  the  dam,  and  health  was  restored  to  the 
village. 

The  farm  on  which  the  Mission  House  stood,  about  50 
acres,  was  set  off  for  the  use  of  Mr.  S.  by  the  Indians. 
The  church  was  built  by  the  Missionary  Society.  It  was 
a  neat  building,  and  would  accomodate  500  persons.  The 
London  Bibles  adorned  the  pulpit ;  and  when  stoves  came 
to  be  a  part  of  church  furniture,  Rev.  Dr.  Morse,  who  was 
frequently  at  New  Stockbridge,  presented  one  to  the  con- 

fregation,  or  rather  to  the  female  members  of  it.  "  Old 
'ish"  was  a  noted  Tythingman.  He  carried  a  long  stick, 
which  was  used,  both  in  doors  and  out  as  occasion  required. 
In  1792,  the  Stockbridge  Indians  and  their  neighbors,  the 
Six  Nations,  were  invited  to  Philadelphia  by  Gen.  Wash 
ington,  "  that  measures  might  be  concerted  to  impart  such 
of  the  blessings  of  civilization  as  might  suit  their  condition" 
at  that  time,  and  Col.  Pickering  was  delegated  to  treat 
with  them.  One  thousand  five  hundred  dollars  annually 
was  appropriated,  to  be  divided  among  them :  and  this  an 
nuity  was  of  great  use  to  the  Stockbridges  in  the  support  of 
their  poor.  During  their  stay  in  Philadelphia,  Gen.  W. 
ordered  that  they  "  should  be  well  fed,  well  lodged  and  well 
clothed"  ;  that  "  presents  should  be  sent  to  their  wives  and 
families  ;"  and  as  two  of  their  number  had  been  removed  by 
death,  "  that  their  tears  should  be  wiped  away  according  to 
their  own  custom,"  and  "  presents  be  sent  to  the  relatives  of 
the  deceased"  at  home.  These  orders  he  mentions  in  his 


OR,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.  89 

farewell  address  to  them,  dated  Philadelphia,  April  5,  1792. 
He  calls  them  New  York  Indians,  the  Five  Nations  ;  their 
old  name  not  having  again  been  universally  applied  to  them, 
though  they  had  been  Six  since  the  return  of  the  southern 
branch  of  the  Tuscaroras  from  Carolina,  in  the  early  days 
of  that  Colony. 

After  their  removal  from  Masachusetts,  the  Indians  still 
retained  the  puritan  custom  of  setting  apart  a  day  an 
nually  for  Fasting  and  Prayer,  in  the  spring,  and  another 
in  the  fall  for  thanksgiving,  and  they  took  pleasure  in  the 
thought  that  they  were  united  with  their  old  friends  in  these 
exercises.  Dec.  5,  1793,  was  one  of  their  Thanksgiving 
days.  The  assembly  convened  at  12,  and  listened  to  the 
discourse,  and  then  retired  to  a  private  house,  where  the 
Pastor  was  invited  to  dine.  A  table  of  sufficient  size  to 
accomodate  30  or  40  persons,  was  plentifully  spread  with 
meats,  pies  and  puddings,  and  "  good  wholesome  spring- 
water  ;"  and  when  the  cloth  had  been  removed,  the  Chief 
delivered  a  long  address.  Among  other  things,  he  exhorted 
them  to  thankfulness  for  all  the  mercies  of  the  year  past, 
and  that  they  had  been  permitted  at  its  close  "  to  sit  to 
gether  in  love  and  peace,  and  partake  of  the  bounties 
of  heaven,  not  eating  food  we  might  have  obtained  from 
white  people,  our  neighbors,  which  was  our  state  of  depen 
dence  in  the  country  from  which  we  came  ;  but  we  have 
now  been  fed  by  such  things  as  we  have  obtained  by  the 
labor  of  our  own  hands."  This,  he  said,  was  "  matter  of 
thankfulness."  Nor  were  they  thankful  in  word  only. 
Freely  they  felt  that  they  had  received,  and  freely  they 
would  give.  The  provisions  which  remained  after  the 
feast  was  over,  were  distributed  among  the  poor  and  the 
aged,  and  the  festivities  closed  with  joyful  expressions  of 
gratitude  to  God,  and  to  man, — a  day,  one  would  suppose  not 
readily  forgotten  by  the  community  of  whites  around  them 
among  whom  such  Feasts  were  unknown. 

In  1798,  a  deputation  was  sent  from  Boston,  consisting  of 
Rev.  Drs.  Belknap  and  Morse,  to  inquire  into  the  state  of 
the  New  York  Indians,  and  the  success  of  missionary 
labors  among  them.  Of  course  Mr.  Sergeant's  journal  be 
ing  written  for  the  inspection  of  the  Commissioners,  con 
tains  nothing  relative  to  the  visit  except  the  fact ;  but  the 
continuance  of  support  argues  their  satisfaction.  The 


90  STOCKBRIDGE,  PAST  AND  PRESENT; 

principal  men  met  to  wait  on  them  previous  to  the  public 
meeting.  In  May  of  the  same  year,  a  number  of  Quakers, 
or  Friends,  from  Philadelphia,  passed  through  the  tribes, 
exhorting  the  Indians  to  temperance,  industry,  and  the  cul 
tivation  ot  the  arts  of  civilzed  life,  and  promising  the  aid 
of  their  Society  in  the  promotion  of  these  ends.  The 
Stockbridge  Indians  "  all  met,"  to  listen  to  their  advice. 

In  1798,  a  most  interesting  admission  to  the  church 
is  recorded.  Far  back  in  the  ages  of  antiquity,  if  we 
can  credit  the  records  of  uncivilized  nations,  a  divis 
ion  of  the  Tuscarora  Tribe  took  place ;  and  while  one 
portion  went  South  and  settled  on  the  Neuse,  others 
were  scattered  over  the  prairies  of  the  West.  Among  these 
last,  or  else  among  the  Delawares  in  their  vicinity,  was  the 
Muncey  Tribe.  No  light  had  yet  broken  upon  the  spiritu 
al  darkness  of  that  region,  through  human  instrumentality; 
but  one  ray  streamed  directly  from  the  throne  into  the  con 
science  of  a  Munsee,  through  no  medium  but  the  creation, 
proving  that  even  the  heathen  "  are  without  excuse."  The 
first  conviction  of  this  pagan  was,  that  the  world  around  him 
must  have  had  a  creator.  He  looked  at  the  earth  and  at 
the  sky,  he  heard  a  voice  in  the  trees,  and  in  the  streams, 
and  laid  himself  down  in  the  budding  grass,  and  felt  that 
there  was  a  God.  But  was  he  unknown,  as  well  as  unseen  ? 
The  bosom  of  the  child  heaved  with  aspirations  for  its  all 
pervading  Parent,  and  did  not  the  heart  of  the  Father  yearn 
over  the  child  of  his  creation  ?  Yes,  surely,  if  there  was  a 
benevolent  Creator,  he  had  revealed  himself  to  his  creatures; 
and  the  untaught  Munsee  devoted  his  future  life  to  the 
search  for  God,  and  his  Revelation. 

God  has  never  said  to  any  of  his  creatures  "  Seek  ye  me  in 
vain,"  and  soon  the  enquirer  heard  of  light  at  the  east.  Re 
solved  to  "  leave  his  country  and  his  father's  house,"  and  go 
into  that  country  of  which  the  Lord  should  tell  him,  he 
desired  his  wife  to  accompany  him.  But  she  loved  her 
people  and  her  religion  too  well,  and  would  not  be  persua 
ded  ;  so,  "  staggering  not"  under  the  sore  trial,  he  turned  his 
back  upon  all  he  had  and  loved  or  known,  and  set  forward  on 
his  pilgrimage.  Arrived  at  the  Tuscarora  village,  he  ob 
tained  the  services  of  Capt.  Cusick,  and  came  with  him  to 
to  Mr.  Sergeant.  Capt.  C.  was  generally  employed  by  Mr. 
Sergeant  as  interpreter  to  7tis  people  who  attended  service 


OR,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.  91 

in  New  Stockbridge,  and  having  experience  himself  of 
the  power  of  the  Gospel,  was  able  to  convey  to  the  pilgrim 
the  teachings  of  the  Pastor.  The  thirsty  soul  of  the  Mun- 
see  drank  in  the  truth  like  water ;  and  "  believing  with  all 
his  heart,"  he  was  baptized  by  the  well  deserved  name  of 
Abraham.  Muncey  became  his  surname.  Having  left  his 
own  family  he  chose  to  live  alone,  and  his  neat  little  hut  in 
the  woods,  three  miles  from  church,  was  ever  a  fit  emblem  of 
the  purity  of  his  after  life.  Though  lame,  he  was  always 
at  church,  and  one  of  the  first  there.  He  remained  in 
New  Stockbridge  until  the  little  band  of  Tuscaroras,  to 
which  the  Cusick  family  belonged,  rejoined  their  brethren 
near  Buffalo.  He  was  called  by  the  Stockbridges  a  Mun 
cey,  and  also  a  Tuscarora,  though  the  Tuscaroras  call  the 
Munseeys  or  Munsys,  Delawares. 

Another  circumstance  which  goes  to  make  up  the  history 
of  the  Muh-he-ka-ne-ok  at  New  Stockbridge,  being  without 
date,  may  be  mentioned  in  connection  with  the  story 
of  Abraham  Munsee,  as  it  is  supposed  to  have  occurred  not 
far  from  the  time  of  his  conversion.  Word  was  brought  by 
one  of  their  neighbors  that  a  Chief  was  dead,  and  the 
mourners,  according  to  custom,  would  soon  pass  through  the 
Indian  towns  to  pronounce  eulogies,  and  sing  "  condolence 
songs."  A  large  cabin  was  erected  for  the  Council ;  and 
when  the  mourners  arrived,  they  sung  their  songs  as  they 
marched  along  the  streets  to  the  place  of  assembling.  Mr. 
Sergeant  prepared  a  supper  of  which  he  invited  them 
to  partake  after  the  public  exercises  were  over ;  and  when 
their  bodies  had  been  well  fed,  he  brought  out  the  old 
London  Bibles,  and  explained  the  picture  to  a  motley  group 
of  Senecas,  Oneidas,  Onondagas,  &c.  Among  them  was 
a$  Onondaga  Chief,  and  the  bread  for  the  soul  thus  dealt 
out  proved  food  indeed  for  him.  From  that  day  he  labored 
for  the  "  meat  that  endureth  unto  everlasting  life." 

In  1805,  Mr.  Sergeant  was  invited  to  attend  two  great 
Councils  at  Oneida,  and  listen  to  the  instructions  just 
brought  from  "  the  prophet,  so  called,"  by  the  Onondagas, 
his  adherents,  accompanied,  in  the  first  instance,  by  five  or 
six  strings  and  belts  of  wampum.  The  advice,  delivered 
in  the  most  tender  and  affectionate  manner,  was  in  sub 
stance  this  —  That  they  should  refrain  from  all  vice,  bury 
all  animosities,  cast  off  the  past  as  a  tattered,  filthy  garment, 


92          STOCKBRIDGE,  PAST  AND  PRESENT  J 

and  begin  anew,  lives  of  sobriety,  honesty,  peace  and 
friendship,  listening  to  the  instructions  of  missionaries  in 
things  temporal,  and  particularly  to  the  teachings  of  Mr. 
Sergeant.  He  told  them  that  the  greater  knowledge  of  the 
whites  enabled  them  to  defraud  the  Indian;  but  that  the 
Great  Spirit  had  given  only  to  the  white  man  skill  to  make, 
or  liberty  to  drink  poisonous  liquors,  therefore  his  Red 
Children  must  shun  all  temptations  from  that  source  with 
abhorrence,  and  expel  from  their  society  all  those  who  still 
indulged  their  dangerous  inclinations.  Notice  was  then 
given  of  a  general  Council  to  be  held  at  Sandusky  the  next 
spring,  to  discuss  the  matter  of  reform.  The  western 
Indians  had  been  invited,  and  the  Shawanoes  particularly 
required  by  the  Senecas  to  attend,  and  also  to  take  from 
their  witches  all  poisonous  roots. 

At  the  conclusion  of  this  address,  Mr.  Sergeant  was 
desired  to  speak ;  and  his  instructions  were  received  with 
the  greatest  cordiality.  A  pagan  Chief  thanked  him, 
he  said,  a  thousand  times,  in  a  long  speech,  promising  for 
the  future  to  renounce  ardent  spirits  altogether.  The  first 
council  was  held  on  the  10th  of  Aug.,  and  early  in  Septem 
ber  the  Stockbridge  Indians  were  required  to  return  their 
answer.  Here  was  a  strong  temptation.  The  Prophet 
openly  declared  that  the  Indians  could  not  embrace  the 
religion  of  the  whites,  but  his  revelations  were  more  friendly 
to  the  gospel  than  they  had  been.  Their  brethren  far  and  near 
were  listening  to  him,  and  they  must  either  yield,  or  with  a 
sensitiveness  more  keen  than  that  of  the  white  man,  stand  out, 
and  be  singular,  perhaps  obnoxious,  for  several  were  put  to 
death  for  nonconformity.  Considered  in  this  light,  the  five 
strings  of  white  wampum  delivered  by  the  men,  and  the 
four  strings  of  white  and  purple  delivered  by  the  worn  eh, 
are  "  ornaments  of  grace  unto  their  heads,  and  chains 
about  their  necks." 

After  preliminary  courtesies,  Capt.  Hendrick  Aupaumut, 
the  Chief  and  Speaker,  says — 

c'  Be  it  known  to  you,  that  we  are  well  pleased  to  find  you 
are  so  faithful  in  delivering  what  is  right  and  good  that  you 
have  such  resolutions  to  forsake  all  wicked  practices  and  to 
follow  the  £ood  path  :  and  further  be  it  known  to  you  that  we 
take  hold  of  your  good  words,  and  will  endeavor  to  hold  them 
fast. 

''Uncles,  we  will  also  inform  you  that  the  reasons  why  the 


OR,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD    MISSION    STATION.  93 

nations  of  the  land  have  ever  been  overcome  by  poisonous 
liquors  and  other  sins  is, — because  we  believe  the  temptations 
of  the  evil  spirit,  and  would  have  him  reign  in  our  hearts  in 
stead  of  the  Good  Spirit,  arid  because  we  are  ignorant  of  our 
weakness  ;  therefore  we  depend  upon  our  own  strength  and 
wisdom  :  consequently  we  neglect  to  pray  to  the  Great  and 
Good  Spirit  for  wisdom  and  strength.  But,  Uncle,  be  assured, 
— unless  we  and  you  pray  earnestly  to  him  for  help,  and  that 
every  day,  we  can  never  overcome  this  strong  drink,  and  all 
wicked  practices. 

Uncle,  you  must  not  depend  upon  that  Prophet  you  speak  of 
altogether  for  instruction  ;  but  you  and  we  must  depend  on  the 
Good  Spirit  altogether,  and  make  our  wants  known  to  him 
every  day ;  for  if  we  neglect  this  we  can't  expect  his  blessing. 

Uncle,  listen. ; — You,  the  Chiefs,  ought  to  give  to  yourselves 
liberty,  and  give  liberty  to  your  young  men  and  women,  that 
you  and  they  may  go  to  hear  the  Ministers  of  the  Gospel  when 
such  opportunity  offers  at  your  village  or  neighborhood,  and 
forbid  them  not. 

Uncle,  if  any  time  in  future,  good  white  people  should  offer 
to  teach  your  children  to  read  and  write,  or  instruct  you  in  the 
way  of  the  Christian  religion,  refuse  it  not ;  but  accept  the 
same,  and  embrace  it,  because  by  learning  to  read  and  write, 
you  may  know  the  mind  and  will  of  the  Good  Spirit,  and  can 
learn  many  wonderful  things  which  he  has  done  from  the  crea 
tion  of  the  world  :  and  by  which  you  may  know  how  to  praise 
him,  and  pray  to  him  aright. 

Uncle, — What  I  tell  you  I  will  do  myself.  We  give  our 
young  men  and  women  liberty  to  go  and  hear  the  Ministers  of 
the  Gospel  anywhere, —  also  to  come  here  (to  the  Onondaga 
village.)  to  hear  and  see  the  ancient  way  of  worship  of  your 
forefathers ;  and  if  any  one  should  find  in  their  minds  to  be 
their  duty  to  join  this  or  that  society,  we  will  not  forbid  them  ; 
because  if  you  and  we  use  both  these  means,  when  one  fails 
the  other  may  stand  ;  but  if  you,  and  we  depend  only  upon 
one  instrument;  and  neglect  all  the  rest,  when  this  fails,  you 
and  I  must  come  to  ruin. 

Uncle  —  In  your  speech  you  exhort  us  to  be  united  as  one 
man.  This  we  have  done  on  our  part  these  many  years  past. 
We  maintain  friendship  and  union  with  our  brothers,  the 
Oneidas  and  Tuscaroras,  and  we  do  not  respect  this  party  or 
that,  (meaning  Christian  or  pagan  party,  so  called,)  but  we 
love  them  all  alike. 

Uncle. —  Let  us  all  look  to  the  Great  and  Good  Spirit  every 
day  for  help,  and  may  he  guide  us  in  the  right  way." 

The  message  of  the  women  was  more  definite  upon  the 
subject  of  Temperance,  lamenting  that  the  whites  should 

5* 


94  STOCKBRIDGE,    PAST  AND    PRESENT  ; 

ever  have  introduced  such  "  poisons  into  this  Island,"  and 
informing  their  sisters  that  but  few  of  their  sex  now  drank 
at  all.  "  Number  of  us,"  say  they,  "  endeavor  to  walk  in 
the  same  good  path  which  the  Great  Good  Spirit  has  point 
ed  out  for  us,  and  are  looking  to  him  every  day  for  help,  for 
we  find  that  we  can  do  nothing  of  ourselves,  and  do  believe 
that  he  will  not  accept  mere  ceremonies,  but  he  requires 
the  whole  heart."  Then,  as  their  husbands  and  broth 
er  had  done,  they  exhort  their  less  christianized  sisters  to 
improve  any  opportunities  which  may  ever  offer  to  give  edu 
cation  to  their  children  ;  "and  further,"  say  they,  "we  exhort 
you  to  be  very  faithful  to  teach  your  little  children  as  soon 
as  they  are  able  to  understand  words.  Teach  them  the  will 
of  the  Good  Spirit,  and  do  it  every  day." 

These  speeches  were  both  delivered  by  Capt  H.  Aupau- 
mut,  and  copies  were  furnished  by  him  to  Mr.  Sergeant. — 
Doubtless  he  was  the  author  of  the  first.  But  the  last  is 
less  perfect  English,  and  breathes  a  deeper  tone  of  experi 
mental  piety.  It  is  probably  from  the  pen  of  some  female 
member  of  the  church.  Mr.  S.  also  wrote  a  letter  to  the 
Prophet.  In  August  of  the  same  year,  Dorothy  Shipley,  a 
member  of  the  Society  of  Friends,  from  Yorkshire,  Eng 
land,  visited  New  Stockbridge,  spent  a  few  days  with  the 
Indians  and  then  publicly  addressed  them.  On  the  16th 
she  held  another  meeting  with  the  women  of  the  tribe,  at 
which  she  communicated  much  good  instruction.  She  was 
pleased  with  the  amiable  disposition  of  the  people,  and  they 
on  their  part  were  grateful  for  her  kindness,  and  gave  thanks 
in  a  farewell  address,  that  the  "  Good  Spirit  had  put  such 
love  into  her  heart  that  she  was  willing  to  undertake  such  a 
long  and  tedious  journey  on  purpose  to  deliver  his  message 
to  them,  and  that  he  had  protected  her  on  the  way."  And 
now,  having  given  her  a  brief  account  of  the  mission  among 
them,  and  expressed  their  hopes  and  joys  in  view  of  a 
brighter  world,  they  promised  by  Divine  Grace,  to  cherish 
the  memory  of  this  new  friend,  "  and  of  the  good  words 
which  she  had  delivered  to  them,"  commending  her  to 
the  protection  of  heaven,  and  looking  forward  to  that  day 
when  she  and  they  should  be  gathered  at  the  right  hand  of 
the  Redeemer,  to  be  parted  no  more  forever.  This  address 
was  signed  by  five  of  the  sisters  in  behalf  of  the  "Women 
of  the  Muh-hea-kun-neek  Nation." 


OR,  RECOUPS  OF  AN  OLD    MISSION  STATION.  95 

Oct.  11  ;  the  women  held  a  general  meeting  and  agreed  to 
use  their  influence  to  discountenance  public  weddings.  This 
was  a  new  inroad  upon  national  customs  which  they  believed 
the  cause  of  temperance  and  good  morals  now  required, 
and  they  "  unanimously"  resolved — "  That  we  will  use  our 
utmost  influence  to  put  an  end  to  this  practice,  by  having 
the  weddings  of  our  young  people  as  private  as  possible." 

Feb.  3d,  1811,  a  very  interesting  concert  of  sacred  music 
was  given  by  the  Indians  of  New  Stockbridge.  The 
choir,  consisting  of  60  or  70  Indians,  "  dressed  in  their  best," 
and  one  playing  on  a  flute,  marched  about  half  a  mile  to 
the  church,  where  the  procession  opened  for  the  entrance 
of  the  clergy.  About  100  whites  and  200  Indians  were 
supposed  to  be  present.  The  sermon  was  preached  by  one 
ol  the  neighboring  ministers,  and  the  performances  gave 
universal  satisfaction. 

"  This  remarkable  attention  of  my  people,  to  improve  in 
the  art  of  singing,"  says  Mr.  Sergeant, "  has  had  a  good  effect 
to  call  the  people  together  ;  a  seriousness  has  appeared  in 
the  minds  of  some,  together  with  a  reformation  of  manners. 
The  Singing  Master  has  much  advanced  the  cause  of  reli 
gion  among  this  people." 

Oct.  3d,  1817,  Joseph  Quinney  was  chosen  Deacon  of 
the  Church.  He  was  a  very  useful  man,  active  in  sustain 
ing  and  conducting  meetings  for  prayer.  June  12,  1818, 
Jacob  Cheek-sun-kun  was  chosen  to  the  same  office,  in  the 
room,  probably,  of  Dea.  Quinney,  as  he  removed  about 
that  time  to  Ohio. 

Apr.  8,  1819,  Rev.  Mr.  Parsons  preached  to  the  Stock- 
bridges  from  Rom.  10.  1.,  "  Brethren,  my  heart's  desire, 
&c."  After  sermon,  a  collection  of  $5,07  was  taken  up 
for  the  Jews,  and  Capt  Hendrick  Aupaumut  read  an  affec 
tionate  letter  from  the  "  Muh-hea-kun-nuk  Nation"  to  their 
"brethren  who  were  encamped  about  Jerusalem, — the  Sa 
chem  and  head  men  of  the  remnant  of  the  children  of 
Abraham,  Isaac  and  Jacob,  commonly  called  Jews."  In 
this  epistle  they  gave  an  account  of  the  "  arrival  at  their 
fireside  of  a  certain  man  named  John  Sergeant  about  84: 
years  before,"  and  of  the  blessing  which  had  followed  his 
instructions.  "  We  would  moreover  inform  you,"  say  they, 
"  that  our  ancestors  were  sitting  at  the  front  door  of  the 


96  STOCKBRIDGE,  PAST  AND  PRESENT; 

house,  and  that  our  allies  or  friends,  or  un-nun-naum-pauk, 
commonly  called  Indians,  were  sitting  on  the  west  side  of 
us.  None  of  them  as  a  nation  had  received  the  religion  of 
Jesus  except  the  Mohawks,  who  were  sitting  next  to  us. — 
We  feel  happy,  however,  to  inform  you  that  many  of  our 
brethren  of  the  different  tribes  of  Indians  have  now  received 
the  good  Word  of  God."  Then  they  speak  of  the  knowl 
edge  derived  from  that  Word,  and  remark  that  "  many  of 
the  heathen  Indians  on  this  Island,  when  they  heard  that 
Jesus  was  killed  by  his  own  brethren,  the  Jews,  were  much 
enraged,  and  declared  that  they  would  not  have  killed  so 
good  a  brother."  But  they  remind  the  outcasts  of  the 
many  great  and  precious  promises  in  store,  to  be  fulfilled  in 
the  day  of  Israel's  redemption,  to  hasten  which  they  now 
unite  in  sending  "  messengers  of  the  Lord  to  them,"  believ 
ing  that  if  Jews  and  Un-nun-naum-pauk  would  be  faithful 
to  the  end  and  truly  worship  the  Great  and  Good  Spirit, 
they  would  meet  and  see  each  other  at  the  great  day  of 
Jesus,  "  when  believing  Jews,  and  all  faithful  Gentiles  will 
be  received  into  heaven,  or  Woh-un-koi-geu-wun-kun-nuk, 
where  there  is  fullness  of  peace  and  joy,  and  consummate 
happiness. 

Capt.  Hendrick  closed  with  an  address  to  Mr.  Parsons, 
imploring  the  blessing  of  heaven  upon  him  and  the  good 
cause  in  which  he  was  engaged.  "  Nothing,"  says  Mr.  P. 
in  speaking  of  this  scene,  "  could  please  me  more.  I  was 
willing  to  believe  he  was  a  son  of  Abraham,  pleading  the 
cause  of  him  whom  their  fathers  crucified."  Three  baskets 
were  presented  to  Mr.  P.  and  a  string  of  wampum  was  sent 
with  the  letter  or  message. 

During  their  residence  at  New  Stockbridge,  the  Indi 
ans  sustained  a  character  for  kindness  to  their  own  poor, 
and  hospitality  to  strangers.  Their  houses  were  built 
of  logs,  or  in  the  English  style,  according  to  the  thrift  of 
the  owners.  Their  gardens  were  well  cultivated  by  the 
women.  Little  attention  was  paid  to  the  cultivation  of 
fruit. 

For  a  few  years  after  the  removal  of  Mr.  Sergeant,  he 
employed  white  men  to  teach,  for  the  benefit  of  his  own 
children.  Among  these  teachers,  are  mentioned  Lot  Rue  from 
Stockbridge,  and  a  Nathaniel  Sergeant,  not  connected  with 
the  missionary.  For  several  of  the  last  years  of  their 


OR,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.  97 

residence  in  New  York  also,  the  small  children  were  placed 
under  the  care  of  white  ladies,  Miss  Camp  of  Litchfiekl,  for 
one  or  two  seasons,  and  afterwards  Miss  Gregg.  Except 
these  teachers,  the  Indians  taught  as  well  as  sustained 
their  own  schools.  Those  who  possessed  the  means  also 
sent  their  children  to  select  schools  among  the  whites.  Girls 
were  sent  to  the  school  of  Miss  Royce  in  Clinton  ;  several 
boys  were  educated  at  Cornwall ;  one  by  the  Moravians, 
and  others,  both  boys  and  girls,  in  different  parts  of  the 
country,  as  circumstances  would  permit. 

The  Indians  always  seem  to  feel  their  danger  from  spirit 
uous  liquors,  and  as  early  as  1796,  a  man  by  the  name  of 
Moses  —  —  was  convicted  upon  a  charge  of  bringing  spirits 
into  town  for  sale,  contrary  to  the  by-laws  of  the  Nation. 
After  this,  in  consequence  of  their  inability  to  control  the 
whites  by  any  national  laws,  an  Act  was  passed  in  the  Legis 
lature  of  New  York,  forbidding  the  traffic  to  all  citizens  of  the 
state.  This  was  obtained  through  the  influence  of  Mr 
Sergeant,  but  he  was  bitterly  persecuted  on  account  of  it, 
and  the  Indians  found  it  as  difficult  to  execute  the  laws  of 
the  State  upon  spirit  dealers,  as  to  put  in  force  their  own.  In 
a  circular  written  upon  this  subject  by  a  daughter  of  the 
missionary,  she  speaks  of  the  Indians,  once  owners  of  the 
Continent, 

*c  Now  driven  from  their  last  retreat ;  their  homes  and  fire 
sides  taken  violent  possession  of  by  ruffians  ;  their  fields  and 
gardens  dressed  by  the  hands  of  strangers,  and  they  driven 
forth  from  their  family  altars  and  the  Temple  of  their  God,  to 
roam  among  the  beasts  of  the  forests,  or  beg  their  bitter  bread 
from  door  to  door.  Look,"  says  she,  "  at  their  corrupters,  car 
rying  the  poison  of  ardent  spirits  to  their  very  dwellings,  and 
there  tempting  them  by  every  argument  these  emissaries  of 
Satan,  assisted  by  the  father  of  lies,  can  hold  forth  to  intemper 
ance,  and  following  in  his  foot  steps  all  the  foul  black  train  of 
vices  Look  at  their  youth  the  hope  and  promise  ot  their  nation, 
withheld  indeed  by  the  force  of  unassisted  resolution  and  the 
voice  of  conscience,  at  last  yielding  themselves  an  unwilling 
prey  to  the  voice  of  temptation,  becoming  inebriated,  bar 
tering  their  homes  and  attempting  to  murder  their  wives. 
Look  at  their  tempters,  profaning  God's  holy  day  ;  and  within 
sound  of  their  peaceful  house  of  worship,  and  while  they  were 
engaged  in  its  sacred  rites,  has  been  heard  the  sound  of  their 
axes.  Because  too,  the  laws  of  our  State  had  not  made  the 
Indians  amenable  for  debt,  actions  of  trespass  have  been 


98          STOCKBRIDGE,  PAST  AND  PRESENT; 

brought  against  them  ;  begging  of  them  the  purchase  of  prop 
erty,  and  because  found  in  their  hands,  indicting  them  before 
eur  courts  of  justice  for  theft;  then  by  robbing  the  sick  and 
miserable  of  the  beggarly  remains  of  the  property  which  they 
have,  or  thrusting  them, diseased,  into  prison,  there  to  die, 
leaving  their  wives  and  babes  to  mourn,  because  that,  in  the 
midst  of  this  Christian  land  not  one  was  found  to  befriend  the 
friendless.  These  are  not  the  chimeras  of  fancy,  but  melan- 
cholly  facts  which  any,  who  will,  may  learn. \ 

Miss  Sergeant  also  drew  up  a  Constitution,  and  a  very 
interesting  Temperance  Society  was  formed  among  the 
females.  In  his  journal  of  April,  1819,  Mr.  Sergeant 
mentions  a  sermon  preached  by  a  missionary  at  the  funeral 
of  a  woman,  the  "  President  of  the  Female  Society  for 
Promoting  Good  Morals,  Industry  and  Manufactures  among 
the  Women  of  the  Tribe." 

The  Monthly  Concert  was  early  established,  and  strictly 
observed ;  and  collections  were  sometimes  made  for  mis 
sionary  purposes. 

Mr.  Sergeant  especially  addressed  the  Oneidas  and  Tusca- 
roras  at  the  close  of  the  Sabbath  services,  or  delivered  the 
discourse  of  the  morning  to  them  at  his  own  house  during 
the  intermission,  Capt.  Nicholas  Cusick  being  the  interpre 
ter.  Capt.  Cusick  was  chosen  to  the  office  of  deacon,  but 
at  what  date  is  not  known.  He  joined  the  church  about 
1790.  When  his  tribe,  the  Tuscaroras,  removed  to  the 
vicinity  of  Niagara,  he  went  with  them,  and  subsequently 
joined  the  Baptists  and  was  immersed.  He  died  in  1844 
or  5,  at  the  advanced  age  of  91  or  2.* 

Mr.  Sergeant  held  a  Conference  Meeting  during  the  week 
at  which  the  people,  both  males  and  females,  proposed 
questions  ; — questions  often,  which  indicated  deep  thought 
and  searchings  of  heart.  Confessions  wrere  made  too  of 
particular  sins,  and  forgiveness  asked.  The  children  were 
frequently  catechised  by  the  Pastor ;  and  the  females  sus 
tained  a  weekly  prayer  meeting  on  Thursdays.  Revivals 
often  occurred,  and  the  relations  of  Christian  experience 


^Note.  The  Cusick  family  possess  unusual  talent,  and 
have  exerted  it  in  a  laudable  manner.  They  have  attended  to 
the  cultivation  of  their  minds,  and  one  of  them  has  appeared 
before  the  world  as  a  compiler  of  ancient  Indian  .Records. 


OR,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.  99 

which  have  been  preserved,  show  marks  of  deep  humility, 
earnest  conflicts,  and  a  childlike  lying  down  in  the  arms  of 
the  covenant-keeping  Redeemer,  as  the  only,  but  the  all-suf 
ficient  refuge  of  the  sin-sick  soul.  The  commencement  of 
one  revival  is  worthy  of  especial  notice. 

About  the  year  1812  religion  seemed  in  a  very  low 
state,  and  one  of  the  principal  women,  a  member  of  the 
Quinney  family,  feared  that  no  reviving  influences  would 
again  fall  on  New  Stockbridge.  Her  heart  was  discouraged, 
and  she  "  went  mourning  all  the  day  long."  At  length  the 
thought  came  to  her  — "  God  is  never  discouraged"  —  and 
the  oil  of  joy  flowed  into  her  soul.  She  strengthened  her 
self  in  God,  and  gave  her  heart  to  prayer  for  a  blessing. — 
Soon  the  heavens  gathered  blackness,  the  sound  of  approach 
ing  rain  was  heard,  and  a  plentiful  shower  made  glad  the 
little  heritage  of  God ;  —  but  most  of  all  it  gladdened  the 
heart  of  Mrs.  Seth. 


SECTION    XXII. 


REMOVAL    FROM    NEW     STOCKBRIDGE. 

IN  his  early  history  of  the  Muh-hea-ka-ne-uk,  Capt 
Hendrick  mentions  the  Miami  Indians  as  their  grand  child 
ren,  and  observes  that  a  number  of  his  people  live  on  the 
land  long  since  transferred  to  them.  Of  this  fact  there  are 
traces  in  their  New  Stockbridge  history,  one  of  which  will 
be  mentioned  in  the  biographical  notice  of  Capt.  Hendrick 
Aupaumut.  In  1818,  so  great  was  the  evil  of  vicinity  to 
the  whites,  measures  were  entered  into  to  effect  a  general 
removal.  The  title  to  the  land,  it  was  believed,  was  secured, 
and  July  2oth,  a  church  was  formed,  consisting  of  four 
males,  and  four  females,  who  were  recommended  to  the  fel 
lowship  of  the  Presbytery  of  Ohio ;  and  Sept.  4th,  a  com 
pany  of  70  or  80  people  started  for  a  new  home.  They 
took  with  them  Scott's  Commentary,  and  also  the  Farewell 
Address  of  Mr.  Sergeant,  which  he  requested  them  to  read 
together  as  often  as  once  or  twice  in  the  year. 


100          STOCKBRIDGE,  PAST  AND  PRESENT  ? 

A  petition  had  been  presented  to  the  Governor  and 
Council  of  New  York  in  March  of  that  year,  which  after 
hastily  glancing  at  the  great  change  that  had  taken  place 
since  the  Indians,  seated  on  the  banks  of  the  Hudson, 
received  the  feeble  whites  as  brothers,  and  built  a  fire 
place  for  them  at  Albany,  and  in  true  Indian  eloquence 
pointed  to  our  battle-fields,  where  their  bones  are  always 
mingled  with  the  bones  of  the  white  man, — desires  that 
Government  would  "  buy  a  part  of  their  Dish"  to  enable 
those  who  desired  to  remove,  and  "  keep  the  other  part  for 
the  use  of  those  who  remained  in  the  State, — and  keep  away 
their  people  from  it."  They  also  expressed  a  desire  to  go  as 
Christians  ;  and  though  they  should  be  settled  among  the 
heathen,  still  "  to  pursue  the  same  path  of  civilization  as 
that  pursued  by  the  whites." 

The  land  which  they  had  now  obtained  lay  "  upon  the 
White  River,  in  Ohio,  but  near  the  borders  of  Indiana." — 
Before  reaching  it,  however,  they  learned  that  the  Miami 
Indians  had  sold  their  own  land,  and  with  it  that  of  the 
Stockbridges,  reserving  the  right  of  occupancy  for  three 
years.  On  the  receipt  of  this  sad  news,  some  re 
turned  ;  but  others  went  on,  and  either  settled  upon  the 
soil  or  scattered  about  where  they  could  find  employment  for 
the  winter.  In  May,  1819,  James  McCockle  wrote  to  Mr. 
S.  from  Piqua,  saying  that  the  papers  of  the  church  mem 
bers  had  been  received  at  that  place  with  cordiality,  and  a 
communion  service  appointed  on  their  account.  They  had 
spent  the  winter  in  that  vicinity,  and  generally  been  orna 
ments  to  their  profession.  The  pastor  of  the  Piqua  church 
frequently  preached  to  them.  A  letter  from  John  Metoxin 
of  the  same  date  speaks  of  divisions  which  had  almost  dis 
heartened  Deac.  Quinney,  and  caused  himself  many  sad 
reflections.  A  letter  from  Mr.  Sergeant  had  restored  una 
nimity  of  feeling ;  but  where  to  go,  or  what  to  do,  was 
a  question  difficult  to  answer.  At  length  it  was  decided  to 
unite  at  White  River,  and  to  endeavor  to  regain  the  land  by 
application  to  Government.  But  their  efforts  were  una 
vailing,  and  sickness  wasted  both  their  numbers  and  their 
spirits. 

In  the  mean  time  the  church  at  home  felt  deeply  for 
them,  and  many  prayers  went  up  in  their  behalf.  Jan.  23, 
1819,  was  set  apart  as  a  day  of  Fasting  and  Prayer  in  view 


OK,   RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.         101 

of  this  disappointment,  and  of  the  circumstance  that  the 
Chiefs  of  the  Nation  were  in  Washington,  and  would  that 
day  lay  the  case  before  the  General  Government.  Prayers 
were  offered  for  the  relief  of  the  distressed,  and  "  that  the 
Good  Lord  would  dispose  the  great  men  of  the  United 
States  to  restore  their  land."  But  Providence  had  other 
designs,  and  their  prayers  were  returned,  doubtless  into 
their  own  bosoms.  The  land  could  not  be  regained,  though 
they  were  afterwards  paid  for  its  loss. 

About  this  time,  two  small  bands  of  New  York  Indians 
requested  leave  of  President  Monroe  to  purchase  with  their 
own  means  of  the  Menomonees,  for  $12,000,  a  tract  of  land 
on  Green  Bay  ;  the  Six  Nations  having  been  permitted  by 
an  Act  of  1794  to  trade  with  individuals  as  individual 
tribes.  There  is  evidence  that  the  treaty  was  made  and  the 
money  paid ;  but  the  Menomonees  denied  it ;  and  the  whole 
was,  it  is  said,  the  work  of  the  Ogden  Land  Company,  who 
wished  to  involve  Congress  in  efforts  for  the  removal  of  all 
the  New  York  Indians,  as  they  had  obtained  the  right 
to  purchase  of  them.  The  affair  was  finally  adjusted 
in  1832,  by  Congress  paying  to  the  Indians  the  $12,000, 
and  also  purchasing  for  them  of  the  Western  Indians 
a  tract  of  500,000  acres  on  Green  Bay  for  which  they  paid 
$20,000.  Since  that  time  most  fraudulent  measures  have 
been  resorted  to,  in  the  hope  that  the  Indians  would  either 
be  induced,  or  constrained  to  remove  ;  measures  which  dis 
grace  even  poor  humanity ;  but  still  many  remain. 

During  this  period  of  commotion — Dec.  18,  1821  —  Mr. 
Sergeant  speaks  of  the  "  Great  plan  to  concentrate  about 
5,000  Indians  in  the  vicinity  of  Green  Bay,  on  the  west  side 
of  Lake  Michigan.  My  people,"  he  says,  "  with  a  few  of 
the  Six  Nations,  were  very  successful  in  purchasing  a 
large  country  there,  and  Ave  understand  the  General  Gov 
ernment  have  confirmed  their  title.  Means  will  now  be  used 
to  obtain  a  law  of  Congress  to  exclude  spirituous  liquors,  and 
white  he.uthc,n  from  Green  Bay.  If  the  Lord  should  pros 
per  this  plan,  my  people  would  all  be  willing  to  remove. — 
In  this  case,  there  will  soon  be  the  most  interesting  estab 
lishment  for  the  benefit  of  near  20,000  individuals  scattered 
in  what  is  called  the  North  West  Territory,  that  has  ever 
been  planned ;  for  my  people  would  carry  with  them  almost 
all  the  arts  of  civilized  life.  The  poor  natives  cannot 


102  STOCKBRIDGE,   PAST  AND  PRESENT  ; 

flourish,  surrounded  by  a  white  population."  The  church 
of  New  Stockbridge  then  numbered  about  30.  Mr.  Ser 
geant  endeavored  to  procure  the  temperance  law  and  also  a 
quantity  of  Eliot's  bibles  for  his  people  to  distribute  ;  but 
both  attempts  were  unsuccessful.  A  part  of  the  Indians, 
however,  removed ;  and  Mr.  Sergeant's  son  went  on  with 
with  them,  and  saw  them  settled  on  the  Fox  River,  near 
Green  Bay,  Others  still  remained,  and  preferred  to  call 
themselves  "  the  (Indian)  Nation." 

Sept.  8,  1824,  Mr.  Sergeant  died,  after  a  long  season  of 
decline.  In  an  address  presented  by  the  Indians  to  the  Uni 
ted  Mission  Society  of  the  Presbytery  of  Oneida  County, 
March  9,  1825,  they  "  confess  that  their  tongues  are  impo 
tent  to  tell  the  least  part  of  the  invaluable  services  which  he 
had  rendered  them,"  and  declare  that  to  the  last  "  he  slacked 
not,  but  earnestly  labored  to  secure  a  successor,  and  recom 
mended  them  to  the  Society  from  which  he  derived  his  sup 
port."  When  he  was  compelled  to  close  his  labors  in  the 
pulpit,  they  felt,  they  say,  "  as  if  their  sun  was  setting,  and 
did  not  know  but  darkness  would  succeed."  But  the  God 
whom  they  had  avouched  did  not  forsake  them.  The  Rev. 
Jesse  Miner  began  first  to  preach  to  them  one  half  of  the 
time,  and  previous  to  the  delivery  of  this  address  had  been 
commissioned  by  the  above  named  Society  of  Oneida  to 
take  the  entire  charge  of  them.  He  seemed  well  qualified 
for  his  work,  and  entirely  won  their  confidence ;  and  for 
this  kindness  the  Indians  "expressed  hearty  and  sincere 
thanks."  Miss  Gregg  also  continued  her  labors  as  teacher  ; 
and  in  one  of  her  letters  written  in  1827,  she  mentions  an 
instance  of  Christian  liberality  which  is  seldom  surpassed, 
and  indeed  seldom  equaled  among  any  people. 

It  had  been  the  wish  of  many  that  the  land  appropriated 
to  the  use  of  the  Missionary  should  be  given  to  his  daugh 
ter,  who  had  remained  with  him  until  his  death,  and  since 
then  married  the  Rev.  S.  Churchill  of  New  Lebanon.  But 
there  was  much  confusion ;  evil  influences  were  abundantly 
at  work,  and  all  was  sold.  "  They  are  a  nation,"  says  Miss 
G.  "  scattered  and  peeled,  and  trodden  under  foot  of  others, 
and  like  the  ancient  Israelites,  worst  of  all,  divided  among 
themselves."  In  this  state  of  things,  a  report  reached 
them  that  the  church  and  mission  house  were  to  be  sold  at 
auction,  and  appropriated  to  some  profane  use  ;  and  Mrs. 


OR,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.         103 

Lydia  Hendrick,  the  wife  of  Capt.  Hendrick  Aupaumut, 
went  immediately  to  Albany,  unattended,  in  the  hope  of 
rescuing  what  she  held  so  dear.  There  she  hired  white 
men  to  bid  for  her,  and  paid  from  her  own  purse  the  price 
of  the  church,  besides  a  premium  of  $100,  exacted  of  her 
by  the  human  forms  which  she  had  hired,  before  they 
would  relinquish  what  was  of  right  her  own.  The  mission 
house  she  could  not  obtain.  On  her  return  to  New  Stock- 
bridge,  she  newly  dressed  the  pulpit  and  window,  from  her 
own  funds,  and  furnished  bark  for  the  stove,  prepared 
by  her  own  hands.  Her  husband  was  Chief  of  the  Tribe  ; 
and  faithful  to  the  duties  of  the  office  as  explained  in  his 
History  of  his  people,  the  church  was  let  to  whites  even, 
free  of  all  rent,  until  the  removal  of  the  Hendricks  to 
Green  Bay.  This  removal  took  place  in  September,  1829. 
Several  others  left  at  the  same  time ;  Mr.  Miner  and  Miss 
Gregg  were  already  there,  she,  married  to  a  gentleman  who 
kept  a  store  for  the  Indians.  And  here  seems  to  close  the 
History  of  New  Stockbridge. 


SECTION    XXIII. 

GATHERING  AT  GREEN  BAY. 

HAVING  now  traced  the  history  of  the  tribe  while  resident 
in  New  York,  we  will  turn  to  the  west,  and  watch  the  Indi 
ans  as  they  gather  in  their  new  home  —  or  rather  collect, 
and  pitch  their  tents,  to  wait  the  next  cry  of  the  white  man, 
"  Onward !  onward !  the  country  is  yet  too  straight  for 
us  !" 

About  nine  years  were  spent  in  the  removal.  The  object 
of  the  Ogden  Land  Company  was  to  induce  all  the  New 
York  Indians  to  emigrate ;  and  as  some  steadily  refused  to 
do  so,  confusion  and  discord  reigned  throughout  the  whole 
body  ;  and  the  uncertainty  which  hung  over  their  prospects 
at  the  west,  necessarily  produced  unquiet  there.  The 
Stockbridges  were  perhaps  as  exempt  from  trouble  as  any 
tribe,  if  not  more  quiet  than  their  neighbors,  and  they 


104  STOCKBRIDGE,  PAST  AND   PRESENT  ; 

obtained  for  their  land,  it  is  said,  all  that  they  asked ;  but 
all  letters  dated  within  that  time  seem  to  have  been  written 
under  circumstances  of  turmoil  and  distress.  Yet,  "though 
cast  down,"  they  were  "  not. destroyed."  In  a  letter  from 
John  Metoxin — as  the  name  is  now  spelled — dated  "Cades, 
Green  Bay,  Dec.  2,  1823,"  after  speaking  of  his  deep 
regard  for  Mr.  Sergeant,  and  for  his  old  home  in  New 
York,  he  mentions  the  arrival  of  a  new  band,  and  adds — 
"  I  apprehend  that  I  can  tell  you  a  pleasing  news :  that  our 
brethren  appear  to  be  quite  different  from  what  they  were 
when  I  first  saw  them.  I  trust  that  some  of  them  are 
choosing  God  for  their  portion,  remembering  that  he  is  the 
only  source  of  true  happiness  for  the  immortal  soul,  and 
grieving  because  they  have  forsaken  the  only  King  of 
the  universe.  Some  of  them  express  an  unwillingness  to 
continue  here  —  that  is,  to  obey  the  things  of  this  world  — 
for  they  find  no  rest  in  this  sinful  world.  It  is  true,  indeed, 
as  we  all  know,  the  soul  that  was  made  for  God,  can  find 
no  happiness  but  in  God  ;  it  came  from  God,  and  can  never 
be  happy  but  in  returning  to  him  again.  Thus  we  may 
have  reaSon  to  believe  that  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  is  mov 
ing  upon  them,  saying,  '  Arise  ye,  and  depart,  for  this  is  not 
your  rest.  If  ye  then  be  risen  with  Christ,  seek  those 
things  which  are  above,  where  Christ  sitteth  on  the  right 
hand  of  God,  &c.  &c.' " — for  like  his  brethren  and  sisters, 
Mr.  M.  seems  to  have  been  fluent  in  the  scriptures.  He 
then  tells  his  aged  Pastor  how  he  and  Mrs.  Metoxin  first 
contrived  to  introduce  the  subject  of  religion  to  their  back 
sliding  brethren,  whom  they  found  were  in  deep  waters, 
being  particularly  grieved  that  they  had  exposed  themselves 
to  err  by  the  use  of  ardent  spirits,  and  ready,  in  the  humil 
ity  of  soul,  to  begin  again  the  Christian  life.  And  here  we 
see  a  trait  which  is  very  often  developed  in  the  character  of 
these  simple-hearted  people.  If  they  have  wandered  far  from 
the  path  of  Christian  duty,  they  do  not  destroy  what  charity 
their  brethren  may  still  entertain  for  them  by  endeavoring 
to  patch  up  an  old  hope ;  but  honestly,  frankly,  they  cast 
away  the  past  as  "  filthy  rags,"  and  buckle  on  the  harness 
as  if  never  worn  before.  We  talk  of  the  pride,  of  the  In 
dian  ;  he  has  pride ;  but  through  the  grace  of  God  he  can 
lay  it  at  the  feet  of  Jesus,  and  become  as  a  little  child,  led 
by  the  silken  cord  of  love. 


OR,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.         105 

May  16,  1829,  the  merchant  and  his  wife  being  about  to 
leave  the  station,  the  elder  sisters  in  the  church  engaged 
Miss  Q.  to  write  for  them  a  joint  letter  to  the  daughter  of  their 
old  Pastor,  each  in  turn  dictating  a  few  sentences.  These 
scraps  are  interesting  as  they  show  in  what  direction  the 
current  of  thought  was  setting  at  that  time.  "  Sally,"  says 
one,  "  I  am  a  spared  monument  of  Divine  Mercy.  I  am 
trying  with  all  my  might  to  serve  the  Lord,  and  I  think  I 
shall  try  as  long  as  the  Lord  pleases  to  spare  my  life."  — 
Mrs.  C's  proportion  is  all  taken  up  in  petitions  for  the  for 
giveness  of  her  earthly  and  her  heavenly  friend,  though  for 
what,  in  particular,  Mrs.  Churchill  did  not  know.  "  It  is 
now  two  years,"  she  says,  "  since  I  began  anew."  Another 
tells  of  her  happiness  in  finding  several  of  the  youth 
inquiring  after  the  Savior;  another  still  mourns  the 
departure  of  their  Pastor,  "  who"  she  says  "  was  so  good, 
and  felt  so  much  for  their  never-dying  souls ;"  and  Mrs.  M. 
breaks  out  with  the  exclamation  —  "I  keep  trying  all  the 
time !"  The  arrival  of  another  band  interrupted  M  iss 
Quinney,  and  she  delivered  the  letter  in  an  unfinished  state 
to  Mrs.  S.  who  filled  it  out  in  Buffalo  the  next  fall.  It  was 
then  that  she  mentions  the  removal  of  the  Hendrick  and 
other  families,  the  closing  event  in  the  history  of  the  Tribe 
in  New  Stockbridge.  "  The  people,"  she  adds,  "  have  much 
improved  since  leaving  New  York.  The  church  consists 
of  about  40  members,  most  of  whom  walk  worthy  of  their 
profession."  Mrs.  S.  had  taught  in  the  family  Mr.  Miner. 
Miss  Quinney  taught  the  Indians  during  the  summer  months, 
having  been  educated  at  the  school  of  Miss  Royce  in  Clin 
ton  and  at  other  places,  and  Mr.  Ambler,  a  member  of  the 
mission  family,  taught  them  in  the  winter. 


SECTION    XXIV. 

NEW  HOME  ON  LAKE  WINNEBAGO. 

THE  settlement  of  the  Indians  was  on  the  Fox  River, 
about  22  miles  from  its  entrance  into  the  Bay.  They  had 
not  been  here  long  before  the  Government  urged  another 


106  STOCKBRIDGE,  PAST  AND  PRESENT  ; 

removal,  as  they  were  in  the  way  of  river  improvements  to 
be  made  upon  the  Fox.  Accordingly,  in  1833,  another  treaty 
was  effected  in  which  the  Stockbridges  received  $25,000, 
for  their  improvements,  and  two  townships  upon  the  east 
side  of  Lake  "VVinnebago,  in  exchange  for  their  wild  lands ; 
richer  soil  than  that  on  the  river. 

Here  they  lived  in  comparative  peace  until  1838,  when 
a  new  emigration  began  to  be  agitated.  This  was  beyond 
the  Missouri  River,  on  the  tract  reserved  for  the  New 
York  Indians.  It  was  in  this  year,  Jan.  15,  that  a  treaty 
was  made  by  Government,  one  stipulation  of  which  was 
that  the  United  States  should  pay  to  the  Nfew  York  Indi 
ans  $400,000  for  their  right  to  the  Green  Bay  lands,  and 
also  convey  to  them  1,800,000  acres  of  new  land  beyond 
the  State  of  Missouri;  a  treaty  most  favorable  to  the 
Ogden  Land  Company,  and  the  one  to  effect  which  so 
many  and  such  objectionable  efforts  had  been  put  forth. 

The  Government  of  the  Stockbridge  Tribe  was  at  that 
time  undergoing  a  change  from  that  of  Chiefs  to  Republi 
canism  ;  old  customs  were  to  be  renounced,  and  new  ones 
adopted ;  and  many  were  found  unwilling  to  come  under 
new  and  more  stringent  laws.  Accordingly,  a  company  of 
some  70  or  80  individuals  disposed  of  their  lands  to  the  tribe, 
and  in  1839  started  for  the  south-west.  As  a  body,  they 
were  those  who  could  well  be  spared ;  and  though  no  exact 
date  of  their  removal  has  been  obtained,  it  has  been  credi 
bly  reported  that  they  started  upon  the  Sabbath.  They 
were  allowed  to  settle  temporarily  upon  the  lands  of  the 
Delaware  Indians,  five  miles  below  Ft.  Leavenworth,  on 
the  Missouri  River.  But  diseases  incidental  to  the  climate 
have  very  much  reduced  them ;  they  have  lost  all  their  old 
and  less  hardy  persons,  and  in  the  spring  of  1851  numbered 
only  25  or  30  souls ;  and  these  sick  of  their  southern  enter 
prise,  and  waiting  only  for  the  new  treaty  between  Gov 
ernment  and  the  Tribe  to  be  carried  into  effect,  when  they 
would  be  ready  to  return  to  their  brethren,  and  submit  to 
the  new  regulations. 

In  1842,  a  new  trouble  arose.  "A  disaffected  party, 
backed  by  evil,  designing  whites,  took  it  into  their  heads 
to  become  citizenized.  They  petitioned  Congress,  and  be 
fore  a  remonstrance  from  the  majority  and  better  portion  of 
the  tribe,  could  take  effect,  an  Act  was  passed  making  the 


OR,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.          107 

whole  tribe  citizens  of  the  United  States.  Now  the  minority 
took  the  reins  of  government  into  their  own  hands,  and 
attempted  to  rule  the  majority.  They  appointed  commis 
sioners  to  apportion  the  lands  which  before  had  lain  in 
common,  only  so  far  as  they  were  needed  for  use  by  coming 
generations.  Tribal  moneys  were  expended,  taxes  were 
levied,  and  law-suits  multiplied ;  and  ere  two  years  elapsed 
the  tribe  was  deeply  involved  in  troubles,  and  fast  going  to 
ruin.  The  loose  and  dissipated  sold  or  mortgaged  their 
lands  for  little  ;  valuable  farms  were  sold  for  a  quarter  of 
a  dollar  per  acre.  To  maintain  law-suits,  and  to  pay  debts, 
the  poor  were  compelled  to  mortgage  or  sell :  the  whole  tribe 
could  sue,  or  be  sued :  families  were  at  variance  with  fam 
ilies  :  church  members  could  no  longer  meet  as  brethren :" 
and  in  this  state  matters  remained  until  1846,  when  Con 
gress  proposed  another  Act,  repealing  the  citizenizing  Act 
of  1843,  and  restoring  the  Indian  portion  to  their  former 
rights  and  customs.  The  disaffected  party,  60  or  70  in 
number,  of  course  did  not  submit ;  and  they  still  remain 
citizens  of  the  United  States,  having  all  the  civil  rights 
of  white  citizens,  though  not  always  our  privileges,  and 
they  are,  by  their  own  act,  cut  off  from  any  rights  peculiar 
to  the  tribe.  Whatever  any  Government  may  see  fit  to 
give  to  the  Muh-he-ka-neew  Nation,  plainly,  is  not  given  to 
them.  And  this  distinction  between  Indian  Tribes,  as 
such,  and  citizens  of  the  United  States,  must  be  borne  in 
mind,  that  we  may  rightly  judge  of  a  question  which  soon 
comes  up  in  their  history. 

It  had  been  the  wish  of  the  Tribal  part  of  the  church, 
by  far  the  majority  of  that  body,  either  to  repair  their 
house  of  worship,  or  to  erect  a  new  one.  Rev.  J.  Slinger- 
land,  adopted  son  of  Mr.  Quinney,  having  received  a  The 
ological  education  at  Bangor,  Me.,  had  been  laboring 
among  them  for  some  time,  and  after  a  journey  to  the  east, 
was  prepared  to  take  the  entire  charge  of  them  as  Pastor. 
Being  known  in  New  England,  and  having  friends  in 
Stockbridge,  he  offered  to  present  the  case  before  the  people 
of  Berkshire,  and  solicit  aid.  About  $300  in  money  was 
obtained,  besides  books  for  himself,  and  for  his  Sabbath 
School  Library ;  and  unsolicited,  a  new  bible  was  given  for 
his  pulpit,  the  donors  being  ignorant  that  in  that  respect  they 
were  well  supplied. 


108  STOCKBRIDGE,  PAST  AND  PRESENT  J 

On  his  return,  however,  Mr.  Slingerland  found  that 
peace  was  not  restored,  and  the  tribe  were  contemplating  a 
new  emigration  to  the  country  west  of  the  Mississippi, 
that  they  might  live  quietly  by  themselves ;  and  the  money 
was  therefore,  by  mutual  agreement,  reserved  for  its  legiti 
mate  use  whenever  they  should  again  be  settled. 

After  the  Act  of  1848,  restoring  the  laws  and  govern 
ment  of  the  tribe,  they  petitioned  the  New  York  Legisla 
ture  to  share  with  them  the  profits  made  by  the  re-sale 
of  their  lands  in  that  State.  This  the  Legislature  were 
not  bound  to  do  by  any  human  law ;  but  abiding  by  that 
statute  "  As  ye  would  that  men  should  do  to  you,  do  ye 
even  so  to  them,"  they  "  magnanimously,"  as  Mr.  Slinger 
land  expresses  it,  set  apart  for  their  use  one  half,  being  a 
sum  of  $40,000,  the  interest  of  which  is  to  be  applied  to 
the  support  of  the  Gospel  and  of  schools  in  the  tribe,  and 
for  the  promotion  of  agriculture,  mechanics,  and  whatever 
else  is  for  the  public  good.  Of  course  no  citizen  of  the 
United  States  has  any  claim  to  this  bounty,  sought,  and 
obtained,  by  a  Government,  from  our  very  birth  dis 
tinct  from  us.  Yet  when  the  Indian  citizens  of  Wisconsin, 
who  had  once  belonged  to  the  Muh-he-ka-neew  tribe  heard 
of  it,  they  immediately  laid  claim  to  it  as  members  of  the  body 
to  whom  it  was  given,  and  a  deputation  was  sent  to  Albany 
in  1851,  two  years  after  the  passage  of  the  Act,  to 
obtain  its  alteration  or  repeal.  Three  months  were  spent  in 
fruitless  efforts,  during  which  time  they  visited  Stockbridge, 
and  endeavored  to  recover  some  portion  of  the  old  soil.  * 
(Also,  see  Appendix,  F.) 

During  their  residence  in  Wisconsin  the  Indians  have 
received  the  stated  ministrations  of  the  Gospel;  and,  says 
one  of  their  missionaries,  "  I  have  been  well  acquainted 
with  the  early  settlements  of  the  whites  in  Wisconsin  and 
Illinois,  yet  never  knew  a  people  who  in  their  early  settle- 


*Note.  The  land  which  the  tribe  as  well  as  the  citizens 
are  desirous  to  reclaim,  lies  in  the  south  east  part  of  the 
county,  and  is  said  never  to  have  been  sold  by  them,  but 
leased  for  a  term  of  years,  which  term  has  expired.  They  have 
made  many  efforts  to  find  the  Iease3  but  in  vain. 


OR,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.          109 

ment  manifested  such  attachment  to  the  institutions  of  reli 
gion.  It  has  never  been  our  privilege  to  dwell  with  a  peo 
ple  so  distinguished  for  this,  and  so  moral.  The  Sabbath 
was  universally  kept  sacred  ;  meetings  on  that  and  on  other 
days  were  well  attended ;  intoxicating  liquors  were  prohi 
bited  from  being  brought  upon  their  lands ;  the  women  had 
stated  meetings  for  prayer,  besides  the  Maternal  Associa 
tion,  and  a  meeting  for  improvement  in  sewing,  &c.  Fast 
and  Thanksgiving  days  were  always  observed  as  in  New 
England.  The  men  lived  upon  their  farms  and  regarded 
hunting  and  fishing  as  uncertain  employment.  A  church 
member  who  sought  direction  from  his  Bible  once  said  to 
me — "  I  thought  about  going  a  hunting;  I  thought  of 
Esau ;  may  be  I  come  home  hungry."  The  rifle  was  laid 
up  and  he  went  to  his  field.  The  Word  of  God  was  stud 
ied  much,  and  with  reverence.  Every  family  could  read 
it.  Great  respect  was  had  for  their  religious  teachers.  — 
There  are  many  incidents  connected  with  our  labors  among 
them  which  we  love  to  recall ;  and  we  often  felt,  that  could 
those  who  in  davs  past  had  labored  to  teach  them  the  Gos 
pel,  have  anticipated  the  happy  results,  it  would  have  made 
their  toils  and  trials  light  indeed." 

Rev.  Jesse  Miner  was  the  first  missionary  to  these  Indians 
after  their  removal  from  New  York.  He  visited  Green 
Bay  in  1827,  and  in  1828  received  a  regular  appointment 
as  Missionary  from  the  American  Board,  and  removed 
with  his  family  to  the  station.  His  house  stood  near  the 
Fox  River,  18  miles  above  Green  Bay.  But  death  closed 
his  labors  in  about  one  year  after  his  settlement ;  not,  how 
ever,  until  the  Spirit  had  set  several  seals  to  his  ministry. 
Mr.  Ambler  also,  the  teacher  who  has  been  mentioned,  was 
obliged  the  next  year  to  leave  on  account  of  ill  health,  and 
died  in  a  few  months  at  one  of  the  Choctaw  Missions.  In 
1829  Mr.  Jedediah  Stevens  and  wife  were  sent  by  the 
Board  as  teachers,  and  the  same  year  Rev.  Cutting  Marsh 
was  appointed  as  Pastor,  the  £50  being  still  sent  annually  to 
the  Board  from  Scotland,  for  the  maintenance  of  the  mis 
sion.  Mr.  Stephens  and  family  remained  but  a  few  years ; 
and  after  his  departure  he  was  ordained  as  a  minister,  and 
still  labors  in  Wisconsin  as  a  Home  Missionary.  In  1834 
Rev  Chauncey  Hall,  from  whom  the  religious  history  of 
the  tribe  in  Wisconsin  is  chiefly  obtained,  joined  the  Mis- 
6 


110  STOCKBRIDGE,  PAST  AND  PRESENT  J 

sion  with  his  wife,  having  previously  been  connected  with 
the  Mackinaw  Mission.  This  was  just  as  the  Indians  were 
removing  from  Grand  Kakalin,  on  the  east  side  of  Fox 
River,  to  a  new  tract  on  the  east  af  Winnebago  Lake. — 
That  year  Mr.  Marsh  was,  at  the  request  of  the  church, 
appointed  by  the  American  Board  to  accompany  a  deputa 
tion  to  visit  the  Sacs  and  Foxes  west  of  the  Mississippi, 
as  they  wished  to  make  it  a  missionary  visit,  and  one  which 
would  promote  the  objects  of  the  Board.  They  desired 
permission  also,  to  promise  their  brethren  a  missionary.  At 
the  same  time  Dr.  Williamson  was  sent  by  the  Society  to 
examine  as  to  the  feasibility  of  establishing  a  mission  in 
that  region.  Mr.  Kingsbury  and  Mr.  Byington,  from  a 
southern  station,  were  also  on  a  tour  to  the  north-west,  and 
by  mutual  information  and  council  they  formed  the  plan  of 
the  Dakota  Mission.  The  circumstance  is  mentioned  in  the 
History  of  that  Mission,  published  by  the  S.  S.  Union,  and  an 
account  of  the  interview  by  Mr.  B.  has  been  likewise  published 
Tlfrc,  so  far  from  the  land  of  their  nativity,  he  and  John 
Metoxin  met  as  soldiers  of  the  Cross,  both  out  as  scouts  in 
the  enemy's  country,  and  together  they  observed  the 
Monthly  Concert  of  Prayer. 

But  to  return  to  Winnebago.  A  few  trees  were  cut 
down,  and  temporary  cabins  erected,  and  then  the  families 
of  the  Indians,  together  with  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hall,  removed 
thither.  In  a  few  weeks  Mr.  Hall's  house  was  so  far  com 
pleted  that  meetings  could  be  held  in  it ;  and  soon  after 
the  reiurn  of  the  delegation,  the  church  assembled  in  his 
"  upper  room,"  and  there  commemorated  the  dying  love  of 
the  Saviour.  "  It  was/'  says  Mr.  Hall,  "  an  interesting 
season.  In  that  wilderness,  so  far  from  their  early  home, 
to  be  t  u^  asstmb'ed,  and  on  such  an  occasion.  Did  not 
the  sainted  spirits  of  their  early  teachers  rejoice  over  such 
a  scene."  A  church  was  soon  erected,  $580  having 
been  subscribed  for  that  object.  Mr.  Hall  mentions  one 
individual  whom  he  found  on  going  to  reside  at  Green  Bay, 
whose  history  was  peculiarly  interesting  to  him.  "  The 
tribe,"  he  observes,  "  left  New  England  to  pass  through 
trials  and  temptations.  Had  not  the  truths  of  the  Gospel 
taken  deep  root  in  their  hearts,  they  would  have  been 
destroyed  by  the  unhappy  influences  around  them.  I 
lived  in  my  early  years,  near  their  home  in  New  York. — 


OR,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD    MISSION   STATION.  Ill 

They  were  most  unhappily  exposed  to  temptation  in  intoxi 
cation.  Their  young  men  perished  from  its  effects.  Pro 
fessing  Christians,  and  those  too  who  had  a  respectable 
standing  in  the  church,  dealt  out  the  poison  to  them.  Sad 
scenes  were  the  result.  A  party  of  young  men  intoxicated, 
once  came  to  my  father's  dwelling,  broke  in  our  windows, 
and  threatened  our  lives ;  and  with  the  greatest  difficulty 
my  father  kept  them  from  entering  the  house  until  I  ran 
half  a  mile  for  aid,  and  our  neighbors  came  to  our  relief. — 
When  I  went  to  Green  Bay  I  found  the  man  who  was  the 
principal  actor  in  that  scene,  a  humble  Christian,  and  he 
had  beenfor  several  years  a  leading  man  in  the  temperance 
reform."  With  what  feelings  of  joy,  gratitude  and  adoring 
love,  must  he  have  sat  down  to  the  communion  table  with 
that  trophy  of  the  Cross !  and  he  lets  us  as  Stockbridgeans 
into  a  portion  of  his  joy,  when  he  adds — "  That  this  man 
was  was  saved  from  ruin,  we  may  ascribe  to  the  blessing 
of  God  on  the  efforts  of  that  Christian  church  formed  by 
the  early  missionaries." 

Once  while  residing  here,  Mr.  H.  had  occasion  to  call 
upon  an  Indian  before  daylight,  and  obtain  his  company  in 
a  trip  across  the  Lake.  The  family  were  all  still  in  bed 
when  they  left ;  but  the  father  did  not  enter  upon  the  du 
ties  of  the  day  without  enjoying,  upon  his  knees,  the  accus 
tomed  season  of  morning  devotion.  After  the  death  of 
Mr.  Miner,  there  was  no  season  of  special  refreshing  in 
the  New  Stockbridge  Church  until  the  winter  of  1836,  and 
7.  First  then  was  poured  upon  them  "  a  spirit  of  grace 
and  of  supplication  and  a  deep  feeling  for  the  souls  of  their 
children.  Then  prayer  was  answered,  and  efforts  were 
crowned  with  success.  Many  gave  evidence  of  true  repent 
ance  and  faith,  and  enlisted  under  the  banner  of  Jesus. — • 
This  was  the  season  of  the  conversion  of  Mr.,  S.  their  pres 
ent  pastor. 

In  1837,  in  consequence  of  the  embarassments  of  the 
American  Board,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hall  left  New  Stockbridge, 
and  establised  a  school  near  the  Bay,  and  thus  supported 
themselves,  while  at  the  same  time  they  could  still  benefit 
the  Indians.  But  from  this  post  also,  ill  health  obliged 
them  to  retire  in  a  few  years  ;  and  Mr.  H.  now  resides  in 
Utica,  being  supported  by  the  churches  in  that  city,  and 
commissioned  by  the  American  Tract  Society  to  labor  in  des- 


112  STOCKBRIDGE,   PAST   AND   PRESENT; 

titute  portions  of  that  county  and  among  the  boatmen.  Mr. 
Marsh  remained  at  New  Stockbridge  until  the  return  of 
Mr.  Slingerland  from  the  east  in  the  autumn  of  1849,  when 
lie  resigned  the  pastoral  charge  to  him. 

Mr.  S.  labors  diligently,  both  for  the  temporal  and  spirit 
ual  welfare  of  his  people,  and  even  his  enemies,  it  would 
seem,  "  find  no  evil  thing  to  say  of  him."  In  his  absence 
upon  public  business,  they  employ  a  white  pastor. 

Some  18  or  20  years  since,  the  Rev.  Walter  Colt  on 
visited  the  Stockbridge  Indians,  and  in  his  published 
"  Travels"  commented  at  considerable  length  upon  their 
reverence  for  the  bibles  given  by  Dr.  Ayscough,  carefully 
preserved  in  all  their  wanderings,  and  still  used  in  their 
worship.  A  German  Stadtholder,  90  years  of  age,  into 
whose  hands  the  work  of  Mr.  Colton  fell,  was  equally  de 
lighted  with  the  fact,  and  immediately  ordered  from  Lon 
don  12  of  the  most  splendid  bibles  which  could  be  procured, 
with  permission  to  the  Indians  that  they  should  if  they 
wished,  share  them  with  other  tribes.  The  bibles  were  duly 
received,  a  few  were  given  away,  and  the  others  are  kept 
for  the  use  of  the  aged  in  church.  A  long  address  was 
written  in  each  by  the  donor. 

The  settlement  on  the  Lake  is  eight  miles  long,  and  four 
wide.  It  is  chiefly  divided  into  farms,  on  which  are  built 
houses,  generally  of  logs ;  the  unsettled  state  of  the  Tribe 
having  prevented  that  attention  to  architecture  which 
might  have  been  expected  in  more  favorable  circum 
stances.  These  houses  are,  however,  comfortably  finish 
ed,  and  well  furnished  in  "  European  style ;"  and  in  some 
respects  they  have  more  of  the  air  of  comfort  than  is  usu 
ally  found  among  western  people,  seeming  to  betoken  the 
Yankee  origin  of  their  owners.  Fruit  is  little  cultivated ; 
for  the  Poor  Indian  cannot  hope  to  remain  long  enough  on 
one  spot  to  sit  under  his  own  vine  and  fig-tree.  The  foot 
of  the  white  man  presses  upon  him,  and  he  must  take  up 
his  line  of  march  towards  the  setting  sun,  leaving  all  that 
he  has  planted  for  the  stranger.  "  Ye  shall  plant,  and 
another  shall  eat,"  is  poor  encouragement  for  the  horticul 
turist,  unless  he  has  a  larger  share  of  benevolence  than  is 
usually  developed  in  the  human  character.  The  school- 
houses  of  the  Indians  are,  like  their  own  dwellings,  of  logs. 
They  consist  of  one  room ;  their  own  language  has  gone 


OR,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.  113 

very  nearly  out  of  use  for  want  of  a  native  literature,  and 
the  English  only  is  taught.  The  pupils  study  Grammar, 
Arithmetic,  Geography,  Natural  Philosophy,  &c. 

At  present  they  have  no  newspaper  of  their  own,  but  are 
subscribers  to  those  published  by  whites.  They  have, 
however,  the  prospect  of  receiving  a  newspaper  Editor  and 
Printer  from  the  Cherokee  Nation,  who  has  married  a  dis 
tinguished  Muh-he-ka-neew  woman ;  and  if  so,  he  will  es 
tablish  a  paper  as  soon  as  circumstances  will  permit. 

In  May,  1851,  the  Tribe,  including  the  little  band  in 
Missouri,  numbered  235.  Those  who  had  become  citizen- 
ized  were  71.  The  Temperance  cause  still  flourished, 
though  individuals  were  found  who  had  not  renounced  the 
poisonous  cup.  The  Sabbath  was  better  observed  by  the 
Indians  than  by  the  whites  settled  among  them.  The  Sab 
bath  School  varies  from  thirty  to  eighty  in  the  number  of 
its  attendants,  and  is  conducted  by  themselves.  The 
Monthly  Concert,  the  Maternal  Association,  and  one  or 
two  weekly  meetings  were  sustained.  The  Maternal  Asso 
ciation  was  formed  about  twenty  years  since,  and  Mrs. 
Hall  mentions  two  mothers  who  walked  miles  to  attend  its 
meetings,  one  on  her  crutches,  and  the  other  with  an  infant 
at  her  back.  A  Bible  Society  has  been  for  several  years 
in  operation,  and  many  of  the  Tribe  have  made  themselves 
Life  Members.  The  Officers  of  Government  were  John 
W.  Quinney,  Sachem — elected  for  three  years  ;  Joseph  M. 
Quinney,  John  P.  Quinney,  Peter  D.  Littleman,  John  Yo- 
cum,  and  John  Slingerland,  Counsellors — chosen  for  one 
year;  and  two  Path-Masters,  two  Peace-Makers,  one 
Sheriff,  and  one  Treasurer.  In  1852,  the  present  year, 
Joseph  Quinney  holds  the  office  of  Sachem. 

The  character  of  the  Tribe,  as  given  by  the  Green  Bay 
Advertiser  in  1849,  is  that  of  intelligent  people,  as  good 
farmers  as  any  in  the  State,  generally  members  of  some 
religious  denomination,  and  desired  as  neighbors  by  the 
people  among  whom  they  go,  and  it  wishes  them  "  success 
in  their  new  home." 

Others,  who  have  had  opportunity  to  make  observations 
during  the  past  summer,  (that  of  1851,)  bear  a  similar  tes 
timony. 


114  STOCKBRIDGE,   PAST   AND    PRESENT,' 


SECTION    XXV. 


LAST    REMOVAL. — MINNESOTA. 

IT  has  been  observed  that  the  Indians,  in  1848,  found  a 
new  remove  to  be  necessary,  before  they  could  quietly  en 
joy  their  own  laws.  A  Treaty  was  effected  with  the  Uni 
ted  States  during  the  autumn  of  that  year,  in  which  our 
Government  agree  to  pay  the  Tribe  $33,000  for  their  wild 
lands  in  Wisconsin,  and  $14,500  for  their  improvements, 
$20,000  in  ten  annual  installments,  and  two  townships  of 
good  wild  land  in  Minnesota,  of  their  own  selection.  To 
this  they  are  to  be  removed  at  the  expense  of  Government, 
two  years  being  given  them  in  which  to  make  the  change ; 
and  while  in  Wisconsin  they  have  the  use  of  everything 
sold,  as  if  all  was  still  their  own.  They  are  also  to  be 
subsisted  at  Governmental  expense  one  year  after  their  ar 
rival.  An  exploring  expedition  visited  the  country  during 
the  summer  of  1849,  consisting  of  Mr.  Slingerland,  Aus 
tin  E.  Quinney,  Elisha  and  Joel  Konkapot,  and  Moses, 
Charles,  and  Thomas  Snake,  and  the  situation  selected  was 
one  at  the  mouth  of  Vermillion  River.  Mr.  Bruce,  the 
Sub-Indian-Agent,  arrived  at  Stockbridge  at  the  close  of 
the  summer,  and  in  "  a  day  or  two"  they  were  all  paid. 
As  however,  the  land  belonged  to  the  Dakotas,  they  could 
not  immediately  remove.  During  the  summer  of  1851,  a 
"  great  Treaty"  was  made  by  the  United  States  with  that 
Tribe  at  Traverse  de  Sioux,  by  which  our  Government  ob 
tained  21,000,000  acres  of  excellent  land,  out  of  which  the 
Muh-he-ka-ne-ok  are  to  be  supplied.  Three  of  the  tribe 
attended  the  treaty,  and  unexpectedly,  but  to  the  gratifica 
tion  of  both  parties,  met  there  two  individuals  from  Stock- 
bridge  who  had  valuable  letters  of  introduction  to  Colonel 
Lea,  the  Commissioner,  and  bespoke  his  special  favor  in 
behalf  of  the  Stockbridge  Indians.  They  speak  in  high 
terms  of  those  whom  they  met,  and  describe  the  astonish 
ment  of  the  still  savage  Indians  when  they  saw  those  of 
their  own  race  associating  on  terms  of  equality  with  the 


OR,  RECORDS  OP  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.         115 

whites,  and,  in  every  respect,  save  color,  strictly  resem 
bling  them ;  and  none  of  our  own  pale  blood  wrere  more 
disgusted  with  the  squalid  barbarism  of  the  Dakotas,  than 
were  the  Muh-he-ka-neew  Indians.  A  letter  published  in 
the  New  York  Observer  in  1830,  is  to  the  point  herr,  not 
less  than  when  we  were  speaking  of  the  treaties  of  that 
period.  It  was  written  by  an  American  who  attended  the 
Council  held  at  Green  Bay,  August  24th,  and  onward,  of 
that  year.  After  speaking  of  the  other  tribes  present,  the 
members  of  which  were  sitting,  standing,  lying  about,  un 
washed,  uncombed,  and  often  in  a  state  of  nudity,  he  says : 
"  But  there  was  another  group,  called  Indians,  sitting  by 
themselves,  whose  dress,  manners,  countenance,  and  whole 
appearance  exhibited  all  the  decencies  of  common  civil 
ized  life.  They  looked  and  acted  like  men,  who  respected 
themselves,  and  would  be  respected  by  others.  Their 
presence  and  demeanor  would  not  have  been  unsuited  to 
any  grave  parliamentary  assembly.  These  were  the  New 
York  Indians.  I  had  often  seen  them  at  their  own  villa 
ges  in  the  State  of  New  York,  but  I  had  never  known  how 
to  respect  them  before ;  and  during  the  whole  session  of 
the  council,  a  period  of  eight  days,  they  rose  higher  and 
higher,  and  their  wild  brethren  sunk  deeper  and  deeper,  by 
comparison.  The  difference  was  wider  than  would  appear 
between  the  highest  rank,  and  the  meanest  class  in  Eu 
rope.  I  have  found  it  a  refuge,  and  a  luxury,  to  fall  into 
the  society  of  the  Chiefs  and  principal  men  of  the  New 
York  Indians.  Among  them,  I  could  be  sure  of  exemp 
tion  from  anything  vulgar,  profane,  indecent,  or  intempe 
rate." 

After  this  testimony  to  the  happy  results  of  missionary 
labor,  the  writer  speaks  of  a  speech  delivered  by  "  John 
Metoxin  to  the  Menomenies  and  Winnebago?,  and  also  to 
the  Commissioners,  on  the  last  day  of  the  council,"  which 
had  accomplished  nothing.  This  he  calls  "  most  sublime 
and  touching,  and  in  its  respect  and  delicacy  towards  the 
feelings  of  all  concerned,  unrivalled."  "  Metoxin,"  says 
he,  "  is  about  sixty  years  of  age,  an  exemplary  Christian, 
of  uncommon  meekness,  and  a  chief  ruler  in  the  civil  and 
religious  concerns  of  his  tribe.  By  his  language  and  man 
ner,  he  first  brought  us  all  into  the  presence  of  God,  so 
that  we  felt  ourselves  to  be  there.  He  then  appealed  to 


116  STOCKBRIDGE,   PAST   AND    PKESENT ; 

the  solemn  engagements  between  the  New  York  Indians 
on  the  one  hand,  and  the  Menomenies  and  Winnebagos  on 
the  other  ;  he  called  the  Commissioners  to  witness  the  re 
peated  and  solemn  pledges  of  government  to  secure  the 
fulfilment  of  these  engagements ;  he  depicted  the  unfor 
tunate  progress  and  result  of  the  present  council ;  with  in 
imitable  delicacy,  and  with  becoming  manliness,  he  feel 
ingly  confessed  his  diffidence  in  the  present  measures  of 
government  relating  to  this  affair ;  solemnly  declared  that 
his  only  confidence  now  rested  in  the  God  of  nations,  who 
had  propounded  himself  the  guardian  of  the  oppressed, 
and  the  avenger  of  their  wrongs  ;  and  whatever  might  be 
come  of  himself,  his  family,  and  his  people,  he  felt  that  it 
was  now  his  last  and  only  prerogative,  to  surrender  their 
cause  into  the  hands  of  this  God.  "  God  is  witness ;"  said 
he,  lifting  up  his  eyes  to  heaven ;  "  Brothers,  I  have  no 
more  to  say."  And  with  this,  the  public  deliberations  ter 
minated,  and  the  council  was  dissolved." 

Since  the  foregoing  history  was  written,  a  Memorial  has 
been  received,  presented  to  Congress  April  12,  1852,  by 
John  W.  Quinney,  which  throws  light  upon  several  peri 
ods,  and  contains  new  and  valuable  information.  The 
reader  will  find  the  substance  of  this  document  in  the  Ap 
pendix  under  the  division  (G.) 

Mr.  Quinney,  having  been  moved  with  the  Tribe  twice, 
and  much  employed  by  them  on  public  business  which  has 
kept  him  from  home,  in  all,  five  years  and  some  months, 
and  taken  him  nine  times  to  Washington,  wishes  to  be  al 
lowed  to  spend  the  remainder  of  his  days  in  "Wisconsin ; 
and,  though  opposed  from  principle  to  the  citizenization  of 
the  whole  Tribe,  yet,  as  he  will  thus  lose  the  protection  of 
tkf-ir  laws,  and  be  a  community  by  himself,  he  wishes  ta 
be  admitted  as  a  citizen  of  the  Union.  He  also  prays  that 
the  Tribe  may  be  permitted  to  remunerate,  in  a  degree, 
his  many  services  by  allowing  him  a  portioji  of  what  Ae 
has  obtained  for  them  as  a  Nation, 


OR,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.         117 


SECTION   XXVI. 
BIOGRAPHICAL  NOTICES  OF  INDIANS. 

CAPT.  JOHN  KONKAPOT  AND  FAMILY. 

THE  character  of  Capt.  Konkapot  has  been  often  brought 
out  in  the  preceding  annals.  His  influence  as  a  founder  of 
the  Mission  here  will  not  be  limited  to  this  world,  but  ex  * 
tend  to  the  ages  of  eternity,  a  happy,  happy  eternity  to 
him.  He  was  the  second  member  of  this  church,  and 
wore  well  under  all  circumstances.  Such  was  the  influ 
ence  of  this  mission  upon  other  tribes,  that  the  French 
Papists  of  Canada,  while  they  sedulously  shut  out  the  light 
from  their  own  countrymen,  were  compelled  to  open  schools 
for  the  Indians,  to  prevent  their  secession  to  the  English. 
Certainly  a  more  fitting  memorial  should  be  preserved  of 
Capt.  Konkapot  than  the  sluggish,  filthy  stream  which  once 
bore  his  name,  but  is  now  .called  "  Konks,"  and  even,  by 
strangers,  "  Skunk's  Brook."  Its  Indian  name  is  Se-po- 
sah,  or  perhaps  more  properly  Se-poe-se,  which  means 
Little  River.  May  it  not  again  be  known  by  that  ?  and 
the  name  of  the  noble  Indian,  whose  heart  gathered  green 
ness  even  amid  the  frosts  and  snows  of  heathenism,  be  per 
petuated  by  the  evergreen  hill  to  the  south  ? 

The  wife  of  Capt.  Konkapot  died  of  consumption,  March 
29,  1741,  having  enjoyed  "during  her  sickness  a  good 
hope,  through  grace,  of  a  happy  eternity." 

Catharine  Konkapot  died  in  January  1746,  "hope  rais 
ing  her  above  the  fears  of  death."  John  received  a  public 
education,  and  his  son  John  was  educated  by  the  Moravi 
ans.  Jacob  was  a  prosperous  farmer  in  New  York  State, 
employing  white  laborers  in  his  work.  Soon  after  the  re 
moval  to  Green  Bay,  he  built  a  large  mill ;  and  while  em 
ployed  alone  in  the  woods,  received  a  wound  of  which  he 
died.  Both  Jacob,  and  his  son  Robert,  were  distinguished 
in  the  tribe. 

6* 


118  8TOCKBRIDGE,  PAST   AND    PRESENT; 


CAPT.  NIMHAM'S  FAMILY. 

THE  death  of  the  father  and  son  at  White  Plains  has 
been  mentioned.  The  widow  lived  to  an  advanced  age, 
and  used  to  express  her  fear  that  her  Heavenly  Father 
had  forgotten  her,  and  would  leave  her  to  live  always. 
After  her  death,  her  daughter  Lucretia,  a  woman  distin 
guished  for  her  beauty,  and  for  her  goodness,  married  Ja 
cob  Konkapot.  She  was  his  second  wife,  and  had  no  chil 
dren.  On  her  death-bed  she  made  her  will,  and  then  said 
that  she  had  "  nothing  to  do  but  to  die."  Her  death  was 
triumphant.  Mr.  Parmelee,  who  was  with  her,  observed 
that  he  never  saw  any  one  else  so  happy  in  the  prospect 
of  dissolution. 

LIEUT.   UMPACHENEE    AND    WIFE. 

LIEUT.  Umpachenee,  a  man  of  clear,  deep  intellect,  and 
pleasant  fiumor,  was,  in  early  life, .  addicted  to  intempe 
rance,  and  was  overtaken  once  in  this  fault  soon  after  his 
baptism.  Again,  later  in  life,  he  fell  into  sin,  and  for  near 
ly  two  years  gave  the  church  much  trouble.  But  he 
seemed  at  length  to  be  humbled,  and  continued  to  walk 
worthy  of  his  profession  until  his  death,  which  occurred 
before  that  of  his  pastor.  His  wife  was  the  daughter  of 
E-to-wau-kaum,  a  distinguished  chief,  who  visited  England 
in  the  days  of  Queen  Anne.  She  died  July  14,  1741, 
"  with  a  comfortable  hope,  spending  her  last  moments  in 
exhorting  her  husband  and  children  to  godliness."  Mr. 
Sergeant  often  spoke  of  her  as  a  virtuous,  and  valuable 
woman ;  and  she  expressed  herself  "  content  to  die,  hoping 
by  that  means  to  be  free  from  sin  which  was  now  her  bur 
den."  If  life  were  to  be  continued,  she  dreaded  its  temp 
tations.  This  family  is  now  known  by  the  name  of  Au- 
pauchinau. 

THE    QUINNEY    FAMILY. 

THIS  family  seems  to  have  been  more  distinguished 
during  the  whole  course  of  their  history  as  Stockbridge 


OR,  RECORDS  OP  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.         119 

Indians,  than  any  other.  First,  there  was  Joseph  Quin 
ney,  son  of  John  Quinney,  who  declined  the  office  of  Chief 
Sachem  in  1777,  "  a  very  modest,  unassuming,  sensible 
man,"  and  his  wife,  spoken  of  as  a  "  venerable,  good  wo 
man."  After  them  were  Dea.  Joseph  Quinney,  John  W. 
Quinney,  born  in  1797,  and  educated  at  York  Town,  West 
Chester  County,  New  York,  under  governmental  patron 
age  ;  Lydia  Quinney,  (the  wife  of  Capt.  Hendrick  Aupau- 
mut,)  who  distinguished  herself  in  the  affair  of  the  church 
edifice  at  New  Stockbridge,  New  York,  of  whom  Mr.  Hall 
writes — "  She  was  a  godly  woman.  Few  such  mothers  in 
Israel  bless  our  Churches ;"  Jane  Quinney,  the  wife  of 
Andrew  Miller,  and  mother  of  Mrs.  John  Metoxin ;  Eliz 
abeth  Quinney,  the  wife  of  Jacob  Seth ;  Catharine  Quin 
ney,  the  wife  of  Solomon  Aupaumut ;  "  a  woman  of  pecu 
liar  sweetness  of  temper ;"  and  Eve  Quinney,  the  name  of 
whose  husband  we  are  unable  to  give.  Also  Electa  Quin 
ney,  who  first  married  a  Methodist  Clergyman,  a  Mohawk, 
but  at  the  time  of  their  marriage,  missionary  to  the  Onei- 
das.  Afterwards  he  removed  to  the  west,  and  became 
pastor  to  a  band  of  Senecas.  "  He  was  an  intelligent  and 
pious  man."  His  name  was  Daniel  Adams.  After  his 
death,  Mrs.  Adams  became  the  wife  of  a  Cherokee  Editor, 
who  has  engaged  to  return  with  his  wife  to  her  own  peo 
ple,  provided  he  can  pursue  his  vocation  among  them. 
This  will  probably  lead  to  the  establishment  of  a  newspa 
per  of  their  own.  The  mother  of  these  was  a  daughter  of 
David  Nau-nau-neek-nuk.  The  two  Mrs.  Aupaumuts,  and 
Mrs.  Seth,  were  the  principal  women  in  the  Tribe  while 
in  New  York.  John  Metoxin  has  held  both  offices,  that 
of  Chief,  and  that  of  Deacon.  He  is  still  living. 

THE    AUPAUMUT    FAMILY. 

CAPT.  Hendrick  Aupaumut,  according  to  a  common  cus 
tom  in  the  Tribe,  dropped  the  Indian  name,  Aupaumut, 
and  was  known  as  Capt.  Hendrick.  Since  then,  H  ntinck 
has  been  the  Sur-name  of  the  family.  He  never  professed 
religion  it  would  seem,  but  he  appeared  to  /)o*se*s  it,  and 
was  ever  the  firm  friend  of  its  institutions  and  its  ministers. 
In  personal  appearance,  "  his  gait,"  says  one,  "  and  his  de 
meanor,  appeared  like  royalty."  He  was  truly  eloquent, 


120       STOCKBRIDGE,  PAST  AND  PRESENT; 

and  by  this,  and  his  authority  alone,  he  was  able  to  con 
quer.  He  was  often  employed  as  interpreter ;  and  in  this 
capacity  his  "  strong  memory,  his  clear,  lucid  manner,  and 
his  mind  illumined  face,"  as  he  conveyed  the  thoughts  of  a 
preacher  to  his  people,  are  highly  praised.  His  public 
speeches  are  spoken  of  as  "  always  remarkable  for  per 
spicuity  and  sound  sense."  "  I  have,"  says  our  informant, 
"  seen  many  Indian  Chiefs,  but  never  his  equal." 

In  1810,  Capt.  Hendrick  was  on  the  White  River,  with 
his  son  Abner,  and  designed  to  have  settled  on  the  land 
given  the  Stockbridges  by  the  Miamis.  He  formed  the 
plan  of  collecting  all  the  eastern  Indians  in  that  region, 
where  they  might  live  in  peace  with  the  whites,  and  in 
fellowship  with  each  other,  and,  he  hoped,  be  no  farther 
wasted.  He  had  sent  a  speech  to  his  people  upon  the  sub 
ject  in  1809,  and  was  waiting  anxiously  for  a  reply.  "  I 
think,"  says  he,  "  a  kind  Providence  blesses  the  means  for 
so  desirable  an  end.  I  often  wish  to  be  at  home,  to  see 
what  my  people  are  doing ;  that  is,  when  my  weakness 
overpowers  for  some  anxious  care  for  our  National  business 
at  home,  lest  they  hasten  to  destruction  of  our  National  honor 
and  prosperity,  as  well  as  our  existence.  But  when  I  con 
sider  the  promises  of  the  Great  and  Good  Spirit,  then  I 
would  cheerfully  cast  all  my  care  upon  him." 

It  was  at  this  time  that  Tecumseh,  and  his  brother,  the 
Prophet,  were  plotting  against  our  government.  The 
Prophet  had  been  sending  forth  his  "  divine"  instructions 
since  early  in  1806,  forbidding  witchcraft,  intemperance, 
and  other  vices,  but  forbidding  also  the  Christian  forms  of 
worship.  His  followers  were  numerous,  and  widely  scat 
tered  from  New  York  to  the  Mississippi  River,  and  sev 
eral  persons  had  been  put  to  death  for  nonconformity. 
The  opinion  of  the  Shawanoes  was,  that  the  Lord  of  Life 
had  created  their  nation  from  his  brains,  and  given  to  them 
his  wisdom  ;  that  this  being  forfeited  by  vice,  the  Ameri 
cans,  who  were  created  from  his  hands,  had  received  it, 
and  not  content,  were  either  taking  the  lands  of  the  In 
dians  by  force,  or  purchasing  them  with  goods  not  truly 
theirs,  because  manufactured  with  borrowed  skill.  By  re 
formation  it  was  believed  that  they  might  regain  a  right  to 
all  the  "  Long  Knives"  possessed ;  and  being  provoked  by 
repeated  injuries,  the  followers  of  the  Chieftain  and  the 


OK,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.         121 

Prophet  were  resolved  to  unite  all  in  a  league  which  should 
forever  put  an  end  to  pale  faced  aggression. 

Here  then  was  another  temptation  to  Capt.  Hendrick. 
The  plan  of  union  was  in  some  respects  similar  to  his  own, 
and  there  was  much  in  the  noble  nature  of  Tecumseh  to 
win,  and  in  the  cunning  of  the  Prophet  to  entrap.  But 
he  loved  the  white  man  who  had  brought  the  Gospel  to  his 
people,  he  loved  its  transforming  influence  upon  them,  and 
we  must  believe  he  loved  Him  whose  Gospel  it  was  that 
brought  "  life  and  immortality  to  light ;"  and,  burying  all 
the  wrongs  of  his  race  in  the  bottom  of  the  sea,  he  united, 
with  all  the  characteristic  ardor  of  his  nature,  in  the  cause 
of  America.  In  this  he  was  joined  by  the  Dclawares,  a 
proof  that  the  Gospel  is  the  cheapest,  and  most  powerful 
armament  which  a  nation  can  employ  against  its  barbarous 
foes. 

Every  thing  was  done  to  keep  back  the  Indians  from  the 
alliance  of  the  brothers,  which  the  peace  party  were  able 
to  effect,  as  well  as  to  restrain  and  dissuade  the  leaders ; 
and  Mr.  Sergeant,  in  a  letter  to  the  Commissioners  says — 
"  It  appears  that  through  the  judicious  arrangements  of 
Capt.  Hendrick,  the  influence  of  the  Prophet  is  nearly  at 
an  end."  Capt.  liendrick  himself  says  that  the  head  men 
of  the  various  tribes  do  not  join  him,  but  only  the  ignorant 
and  unwary  ;  that  the  Message  of  the  Delawares  had  al 
ready  shut  his  mouth,  and  he  believed  that  in  the  course 
of  the  next  summer  he  would  "  be  brought  down  from  the 
Wabash,  to  the  ground  from  which  his  ancestors  were  cre 
ated."  And  so  it  proved.  We  find  nothing  in  the  pub 
lished  histories  of  those  times  respecting  Capt.  Hendrick ; 
but  we  do  find  that  the  fatal  battle  of  Tippecanoe  was  haz 
arded,  because  the  already  waning  power  of  the  Prophet 
required  some  desperate  act ;  and  the  eloquence  of  Capt. 
Hendrick,  his  influence  as  a  Muh-he-ka-neew  Chief  with 
the  western  Indians,  and  the  information  communicated  by 
Mr.  Sergeant,  take  us  "  behind  the  scenes,"  and  show  us 
at  least  one  great  cause  of  that  waning.  All  due  honor 
to  the  Hero  of  Tippecanoe ;  but  let  not  the  faithful  Stock- 
bridge  Indian,  who,  by  sapping  and  mining,  prepared  the 
waif  for  that  victory,  be  forgotten. 

War  with  England  was  soon  declared.  Tecumseh  had 
evidently  been  encouraged  by  the  British,  and  he  joined 


122       STOCKBRIDGE,  PAST  AND  PRESENT  : 

their  forces,  and  fell  at  the  battle  of  the  Thames,  October 
5,  1813.  The  Prophet  retired  west  of  the  Mississippi,  and 
lived  upon  a  pension  from  Great  Britain,  until  1834. 
Capt.  Hendrick  joined  the  American  army,  was  favorably 
noticed,  and  promoted  to  office.  Afterward  he  returned  to 
New  York,  and  was  one  of  the  last  to  remove  to  Green 
Bay. 

When  Capt.  Hendrick  became  infirm,  Solomon,  his 
youngest  son,  was  appointed  to  succeed  him,  a  youth  of 
great  promise.  But  he  soon  died,  and  was  succeeded  by 
John  Metoxin.  John,  another  son,  much  beloved,  the 
chorister,  and  at  one  time,  the  Town  Clerk,  was  murdered 
by  Anthony,  an  Oneida,  who  had  murdered  six  persons, 
including  his  own  child.  It  was  not  long,  we  believe,  be 
fore  the  removal  of  the  tribe,  and  when  they  had  not  suf 
ficient  force  to  take  the  murderer.  But  the  whites  came 
to  their  help  ;  and  having  seized,  delivered  him  up  to  the 
Indians,  who  tried,  and  executed  him. 

SAMPSON    OCCUM. 

He  was  born  at  Mohegan,  on  the  Thames,  about  the  year 
1723,  of  heathen  parents,  but  obtained  a  little  knowledge 
of  reading.  In  1739  and  1740,  during  a  revival  of  relig 
ion,  efforts  were  made  for  the  salvation  of  the  Indians,  and 
young  Occum  became  a  subject  of  renewing  grace.  He 
soon  learned  to  read,  and  having  spent  four  years  at  the 
Lebanon  School,  he  went  to  Long  Island,  and  instructed 
the  Montauk  and  Skenecoke  Indians.  Many  of  the  Mon- 
tauks  were  hopefully  converted  through  his  instrumental 
ity.  He  lived  in  a  log  hut,  and  supported  himself  by 
binding  old  books  for  people  in  East  Hampton,  making 
wooden  spoons,  buckets,  churns,  &c..  In  1759  he  was  or 
dained  by  the  Suffolk  Presbytery,  and  in  1766  was  sent  to 
England  with  Mr.  Whitaker,  minister  of  Norwich,  to  ob 
tain  funds  for  the  endowment  of  Dartmouth  College,  He 
was  the  first  Indian  who  had  ever  preached  in  that  coun 
try,  and  he  was  everywhere  received  with  enthusiasm. 
The  funds  were  raised,  Lebanon  School  was  removed  to 
Hanover,  and  became  a  College.  Occum  returned  in 
1767,  and  resided  generally  at  Mohegan  with  his  family, 
until  1786,  when  he  removed  to  Oneida  with  the  remnants 


OR,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.  123 

of  various  tribes,  and  settled  near  New  Stockbridge.  They 
were  called  Brother  Town  Indians,  from  their  peculiar  for 
mation  as  a  Tribe.  The  last  year  of  his  life  was  spent  at 
New  Stockbridge.  He  died  July,  1792,  aged  69.  The 
Brothertowns  removed  to  Green  Bay,  and  again  settled 
near  the  Stockbridge  Indians,  but  have  now  become  citi- 
zenized,  and  will  not  probably  remove  with  them  to  Min 
nesota. 


SECTION  XXVIT. 
BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 

INDIVIDUALS    PARTICULARLY  ENGAGED  IN  ESTABLISHING   AND   SUS 
TAINING  THE  8TOCKBRIDGE  MISSION. 

REV.    SAMUEL    HOPKINS. 

WE  have  examined  the  Building ;  and  those  who  have 
been  interested  in  watching  its  rise,  will  not  be  wninterested 
in  the  character  and  fate  of  its  Build'  rs.  And  among  them 
Mr.  Hopkins  stands  pre-eminent.  He  was  born  in  Water- 
bury,  Connecticut,  and  is  supposed  to  have  descended  from 
Edward  Hopkins,  Esq.,  one  of  the  early  Governors  of  Con 
necticut  Colony.  His  father  was  a  man  of  exemplary 
piety,  and  died  in  1732.  Samuel  graduated  at  Yale  in 
1718,  and  was  married,  June  28,  1727,  to  Miss  Esther  Ed 
wards  of  East  Windsor,  sister  of  the  elder  President  E. 
In  January,  1720,  he  had  received  a  call  to  settle  in  the 
ministry  at  West  Springfield,  as  second  pastor,  which  he 
accepted,  and  his  Ordination  took  place  the  first  day  of 
June  of  the  same  year.  There  he  continued  to  labor,  es 
teemed  as  eminently  prudent  and  faithful,  until  his  sudden 
death,  October  6,  1755,  at  the  age  of  61.  During  this 
time,  besides  corresponding  extensively  with  distinguished 
clergymen,  he  wrote  fifteen  hundred  sermons,  and  com 
piled,  and  published  the  records  of  the  Housatonic  Mission, 
with  historical  and  biographical  additions  from  his  own 


124  STOCKBRIDGE,   PAST   AND    PRESENT; 

pen.  His  people  inscribed  his  epitaph,  which  commemo 
rates  his  "  sound  judgment,  solid  learning,  candor,  piety, 
sincerity,  constancy,  and  universal  benevolence." 

REV.    NEHEMIAH    BULL. 

MR.  Bull  graduated  at  Yale  College  in  1$23,  and  during 
the  winter  of  1724  and  '5,  taught  School  in  Westfield.  In 
February,  the  Town  voted  to  hire  him  one  half  of  the 
Sabbath  as  assistant  to  Mr.  Taylor,  their  much  esteemed 
pastor,  and  allow  him  Friday  and  Saturday  to  prepare  ; 
his  school  duties  to  be  performed  on  the  other  four  days  of 
the  week  as  before.  At  the  close  of  his  school,  he  was 
hired  to  preach  half  of  the  time  for  six  months ;  and  in 
October  1726  he  was  ordained  as  pastor,  having  again 
opened  his  school,  and  he  continued  preaching  and  teach 
ing  through  the  season.  He  was  married  in  February, 
1728,  to  Miss  Elizabeth  Partridge  of  Hatfield,  and  died 
April  12,  1740,  aged  38.  His  children  were  William, 
John  P.,  Justin,  Elizabeth,  Oliver,  and  Neheiniah.  As  the 
founder  of  our  Church,  his  name  stands  next  in  our  history, 
to  that  of  Mr.  Hopkins.  In  his  own  parish  he  seems  to 
have  labored  acceptably,  and  with  success,  though  a  few 
individuals  became  dissatisfied  a  short  time  before  his 
death.  One  of  the  last  records  which  he  entered  on  the 
Church  Books  was  that  of  a  meeting  for  the  adjustment  of 
these  difficulties.  The  number  of  persons  admitted  to  the 
church  by  him  was  226.  His  native  place  is  believed  to 
be  on  Long  Island. 

REV.    BENJAMIN    COLMAN,    D.    D. 

DR.  Colman  was  born  in  Boston,  October  19,  1673,  and 
graduated  at  Cambridge  in  1692.  He  preached  a  short 
time  in  America,  and  then  sailed  for  England,  but  was 
taken  prisoner  'by  a  French  privateer,  and,  having  been 
clothed  in  rags,  was  thrust  into  the  hold.  On  reaching 
France,  he  spent  a  little  money  which,  he  had  secreted,  in 
procuring  decent  raiment ;  and  being  soon  liberated,  by 
exchange  of  prisoners,  he  proceeded  to  England.  There 
he  was  the  associate  of  Howe,  Calamy,  Mrs.  Howe,  and 
others  of  a  kindred  spirit. 


OR,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.         125 

He  preached  in  Cambridge,  and  in  Bath ;  but  about  the 
year  1698,  was  invited  to  return  and  become  pastor  of  the 
new  church,  who  were  building  their  house  of  worship  in 
Brattle  street.  The  views  and  practice  of  this  church  dif 
fered  somewhat  from  others  in  New  England,  being  more 
inclined  to  the  Episcopal  body  in  their  mode  of  worship, 
and  the  admission  of  members.  Fearing  objections  on 
this  side  of  the  water,  the  church  desired  Dr.  Colman  to 
be  ordained  before  his  return  ;  and  the  ceremony  took  place 
in  London,  August  11,  1G99.  He  arrived  in  this  country 
November  1,  and  opened  the  new  church  December  24. 

In  1724  or  5,  Dr.  Colman  was  chosen  to  the  Presidency 
of  Harvard,  but  declined  the  office.  He  died  August  29, 
1747,  aged  73. 

In  doctrine,  Dr.  Colman  was  strictly  orthodox,  and  dwelt 
much  in  his  preaching  upon  the  Deity,  and  vicarious  suf 
ferings  of  Christ ;  but  upon  the  subject  of  church  fellow 
ship,  he  differed  from  the  orthodox  congregationalists  of 
the  present  day.  He  was  one  of  the  earliest  pastors  of 
that  denomination  who  considered  all  baptized  persons  as 
church  members,  and  invited  them  to  partake  of  the  com 
munion  ;  an  innovation  which  settled  down  into  the  "  Half 
way  Covenant,"  or  "  Stoddardean  Practice,"  and  filled  the 
Puritan  churches  with  unregenerate  persons. 

GOV.    JONATHAN    BELCHER. 

GOVERNOR  Belcher  was  the  son  of  one  Andrew  Belcher 
of  Cambridge,  and  the  grandson  of  another.  His  grand 
mother  was  Anna,  the  daughter  of  Nicholas  Danforth,  a 
distinguished  defender  of  the  Puritans,  and  sister  of  Gov 
ernor  Danforth.  Jonathan  was  born  in  1681,  and  gradua 
ted  at  Harvard  in  1699.  He  traveled  extensively  in  Eu- 
rope  for  the  purpose  of  perfecting  his  education,  and  during 
the  six  years  thus  spent,  maintained  the  consistency  of  his 
religious  profession.  The  personal  acquaintance  formed 
during  this  tour  with  the  Princess  Sophia  and  her  son, 
George  Second,  laid  the  foundation  for  his  future  honors. 
After  his  return,  he  settled  as  a  merchant  in  Boston,  but 
was  sent  to  the  Court  of  Great  Britain  in  1729,  and  in 
1730  succeeded  Burnett  in  the  government  of  Massachu 
setts  and  New  Hampshire,  which  office  he  held  eleven 


126  STOCKBRIDGE,   PAST   AND    PRESENT  ; 

years.  His  dismission  was  obtained  by  false  accusations  ; 
and  having  plead  his  own  cause  before  the  King,  he  was 
promised  the  first  vacancy.  This  proved  to  be  New  Jer 
sey,  and  he  entered  upon  his  duties  there  in  1747.  He 
greatly  promoted  the  peace  and  prosperity  of  the  Colony, 
and  did  very  much  for  the  College.  He  died  at  Elizabeth 
Town,  August  31,  1757,  aged  76. 

COL.    JOHN    STODDARD. 

COLONEL  Stoddard  was  the  son  of  Rev.  Solomon  Stod 
dard  of  Northampton,  and  was  born  February  17,  1682. 
He  married  Miss  Prudence  Chester  of  Wethersfield,  and 
had  six  children  —  Mary,  Prudence,  Solomon,  Esther, 
Israel,  and  Hannah.  He  was  much  engaged  in  public 
business,  and  had  charge  of  the  western  frontier.  He  died 
June  19,  1748,  while  a  member  of  the  General  Court. 

CAPTAIN    KELLOG    AND    MRS.    ASHLEY. 

MARTIN  and  Rebecca  Kellog,  the  son  and  daughter  of 
Martin  Kellog,  were,  with  their  father,  taken  captive  by 
the  Indians,  February  29,  1704,  being  then  inhabitants  of 
Deerfield.  Another  brother  and  sister  were  taken  at  the 
same  time.  Martin  was  born  October  26,  1686,  and  Re 
becca  December  2,  1695.  Martin  married  Dorothy  Ches 
ter,  and  settled  in  Newington,  a  parish  of  Wethersfield, 
where  he  died  in  November  1753,  aged  67.  Rebecca  mar 
ried  Mr.  Benjamin  Ashley.  She  was  frequently  employed 
as  interpreter  by  missionaries,  and  died  at  one  of  the  In 
dian  towns,  the  same  year  that  she  left  Stockbridge  with 
Mr.  Hawley.  Captain  Kellog  "  was  remarkable  for  bodily 
strength,  and  firmness  of  mind,"  and  endured  the  sufferings 
incident  to  various  seasons  of  captivity.  Both  brother  and 
sister  possessed  a  good  knowledge  of  the  Indian  languages. 

REV.    GIDEON    HAWLEY. 

MR.  Hawley  was  a  native  of  Connecticut,  and  a  gradu 
ate  of  Yale  College  in  1749.  He  came  to  Stockbridge  in 
February  1752,  and  not  only  taught,  but  preached  to  the 
foreign  Indians.  In  May,  1753,  he  set  out  on  a  visit  to 


OR,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION    STATION.  127 

the  Oneidas,  at  Onohquaga,  on  the  Susquehanna,  and  hav 
ing  obtained  the  patronage  of  Sir  W.  Johnson,  established 
a  mission  there.  But  he  was  broken  up  by  the  French 
war,  and  enlisted  as  Chaplain  to  the  Indians.  He  was  or 
dained  at  Boston,  July  31,  1754,  and  returned  to  Stock- 
bridge  immediately  afterward.  Subsequently  he  settled  at 
Marshpee,  1758,  where  he  died,  October  3,  1807,  aged  80. 

REV.    WILLIAM    WILLIAMS. 

REV.  William  Williams  of  Hatfield,  was  another  follower 
of  the  Half-way-Covenant  practice,  though  he  did  not,  like 
his  sons,  take  up  his  pen  in  its  defense. 

He  was  the  son  of  Isaac,  and  grandson  of  Robert  Wil 
liams,  and  was  born  in  Newton,  February  2,  1665.  He 
graduated  at  Harvard  in  1683,  and  settled  at  Hatfield  in 
1685,  where  he  died,  August  29,  1741.  His  first  wife  was 
a  daughter  of  Dr.  Cotton,  and  his  second  a  daughter  of 
Rev.  Solomon  Stoddard  of  Northampton.  It  is  a  curious 
circumstance,  that  this  lady  was  the  youngest  daughter  of 
the  family,  while  his  son,  Rev.  William  Williams  of  West- 
on,  married  the  eldest  daughter.  Mr.  Williams  was  con 
sidered  by  Dr.  Chauncey  to  be  a  greater  man  than  Mr. 
Stoddard.  In  deportment,  he  was  "humble  and  conde 
scending,"  says  one,  while  at  the  same  time,  he  "  command 
ed  peculiar  awe  and  respect."  Among  his  sons  may  be 
mentioned  Elisha,  Rector  of  Yale  for  a  time,  but  after 
wards  much  employed  in  offices  of  trust,  by  Great  Britian. 
Hon.  William  Williams,  one  of  the  Signers  of  the  Declar 
ation  of  Independence,  was  a  grandson. 

REV.    STEPHEN    WILLIAMS,    D.    D. 

DR.  Williams,  born  May  14,  1693,  was  the  great-grand 
son  of  Robert,  and  the  son  of  Rev.  John  Williams,  the 
"  Redeemed  Captive."  He  was,  himself,  one  of  the  cap 
tives,  and,  being  redeemed,  returned  to  Boston,  November 
21,  1705.  He  graduated  at  Harvard  in  1713,  and  was  or 
dained  as  the  first  pastor  of  Long  Meadow,  October  17, 
1716,  where  he  died,  June  10,  1782,  aged  88.  His  wife 
was  Abigail,  daughter  of  Rev.  John  Davenport  of  Stam 
ford,  Connecticut.  They  were  married  July  3,  1718,  and 


128  STOCKBRIDGE,  PAST  AND  PRESENT; 

had  seven  sons,  all  of  whom  followed  their  father  to  his 
grave.  Dr.  Williams  served  as  Chaplain  in  three  cam 
paigns,  and  in  that  capacity  was  with  Col.  Ephraim  Wil 
liams  at  Lake  George. 


SECTION    XXVIII. 


EARLY  FAMILIES. 

The  four  families  who  settled  here  with  Mr.  Sergeant 
and  Mr.  Woodbridge,  and  a  few  who  soon  followed,  may 
well  receive,  together  with  their  immediate  posterity,  a  par 
ticular  notice ;  and  in  this  genealogical  era  of  the  world, 
their  ancestry,  so  far  as  it  is  known,  must  not  be  over 
looked. 

TIMOTHY    WOODBRIDGE,    ESQ  ,    AND    FAMILY. 

THE  Woodbridges  were  descended  from  a  line  of  pro- 
testant  clergymen  by  the  name  of  JOHN  WOODBRIDGE,  the 
first  of  whom  was  born  about  the  time  of  the  discovery  of 
America,  and  the  fifth  of  whom  married  the  daughter  of 
KEY.  ROBERT  PARKER,  and  settled  in  Stanton,  Wiltshire, 
England.  Mr.  Parker  is  called  by  Mather,  "  one  of  the 
greatest  scholars  in  the  English  Nation,  and  in  some  sort 
the  father  of  all  Nonconformists  of  our  day."  Besides 
Mrs.  Woodbridge^  he  had  a  son,  Rev.  Thomas  Parker, 
first  pastor  of  Newbury,  Massachusetts,  a  man  greatly  dis 
tinguished  for  learning  and  piety,  who  died  in  April,  1677, 
aged  about  81,  and  at  least  one  daughter,  the  wife  of  Mr. 
Noyce,  Puritan  minister  of  Choulderton,  Wiltshire,  Eng 
land. 

Both  Mr.  Woodbridge  and  his  wife  were  much  esteemed, 
and  their  son  JOHN  imitated  their  virtues,  and,  like  them, 
embraced  the  Puritan  Faith.  For  this  he  was  expelled 
from  college,  (Oxford,)  and  his  uncle  being  then  about  to 
seek  a  home  in  the  New  World,  he  embarked  with  him, 
and  arrived  in  Newbury  in  1634.  On  the  death  of  his 
father,  about  eight  years  afterwards,  he  went  over  to  Eng- 


OR,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.  129 

land,  and  having  settled  the  estate,  brought  back  his  brother 
Benjamin,  who  became  one  of  the  first  graduates  of  Har 
vard,  returned  to  England,  succeeded  Dr.  Twiss  at  New- 
bury,  in  that  country,  and  gained  a  high  reputation  for 
native  talent,  for  learning  and  for  piety ;  but  was  ejected 
with  the  mass  of  Puritan  Divines  in  1662,  after  which  he 
ministered  more  privately,  until  his  death  at  Inglefield, 
November  1,  1684.  Another  brother  left  England  with 
John  W.,  but  died  during  the  passage. 

When  the  Woodbritlges  reached  America,  the  town  of 
Andover  was  newly  settled,  and  John  was  ordained  as  one 
of  its  pastors,  September  16,  1644.  In  1647,  however,  he 
was  induced  to  return  once  more  to  his  native  country, 
where,  after  acting  as  Chaplain  to  the  Commissioners, 
treating  with  the  King  at  the  Isle  of  Wight,  he  was  em 
ployed  at  Andover  first,  and  then  at  Burford,  St.  Martins, 
in  Wiltshire.  But  in  1662,  he  also  was  ejected,  and  in 
1663  he  came  again  to  America,  bringing  with  him  his 
wife  and  twelve  children.  He  was  soon  settled  at  New- 
bury,  and  when,  some  years  afterward,  he  retired  from  the 
ministry,  he  was  chosen  as  magistrate,  and  continued  in 
public  business  until  his  death,  March  17,  1695,  when 
about  the  age  of  82.  His  character  for  patience,  forgive 
ness,  and  other  Christian  virtues,  is  rarely  equaled. 

The  wife  of  Mr.  Woodbridge  was  Mercy  Dudley, 
daughter  of  T/tonws  Dudley,  Esq.  She  was  born  Sep 
tember  27,  1621,  came  to  America  in  1630,  was  married  in 
1641,  and  died  July  1,  1691,  and  is  spoken  of  as  a  very 
excellent  woman. 

The  Dudley  family  seem  to  have  risen  to  power  during 
the  reign  of  Henry  7th,  who  conferred  the  title  and  estate 
of  the  Warwick  family,  then  extinct,  upon  Edmond  Dud 
ley,  a  celebrated  lawyer,  and  a  Speaker  in  the  House  of 
Commons,  born  in  1442,  and  executed  by  request  of  the 
people,  who  hated  him,  in  1510.  John,  his  son,  became 
Duke  of  Northumberland,  and  was  the  father  of  Ambrose, 
styled  "  The  good  Earl  of  Warwick,"  Lord  Guilford,  (the 
husband  of  Lady  Jane  Grey,)  Robert,  (Earl  of  Leicester,) 
the  favorite  of  Elizabeth,  and  Lord  of  Kenilworth  Castle, 
and  of  several  others.  Northumberland  was  beheaded 
August  15,  1553,  and  with  him  Lord  Guilford  and  Lady 
Jane. 


130  STOCKBRIDGE,  PAST    AND  PRESENT  ; 

CAPTAIN  ROGER  DUDLEY,  who  died  in  the  service  of 
his  country,  was  of  the  same  family,  and  of  the  same  gen 
eration  with  Northumberland,  but  how  near  of  kin  is  not 
known.  He  left  a  daughter  and  a  son,  THOMAS,  who,  after 
being  educated  in  the  family  of  Northampton,  studied  law 
with  Judge  Nichols,  a  relative,  and  commenced  practice, 
but  received  a  commission  from  Elizabeth,  went  for  a  time 
on  to  the  Continent,  and,  after  his  return,  married  Dorothy 
,  a  lady  of  some  distinction,  and  settled  in  the  vicin 
ity  ot  Northamton.  There  he  became  a  Christian,  and  a 
non-conformist.  Through  the  influence  of  Lord  Say  and 
Seal,  Lord  Compton  and  others,  he  was  soon  employed  by 
the  Earl  of  Lincoln  as  Steward,  and,  except  that  he  re 
moved  to  Boston,  and  sat  for  a  short  time  under  the  minis 
try  of  Dr.  Cotton,  Lincoln  retained  him  in  that  office,  and 
as  his  counsellor  in  all  matters,  until  he  sailed  for  the  Mas 
sachusetts  Bay  Colony,  April  7,  arriving  at  two  o'clock  on 
Saturday,  June  12,  1630.  He  then  held  the  office  of 
Lieutenant  Governor,  and  was  afterwards  repeatedly  cho 
sen  to  that  office,  and  to  that  of  Governor ;  residing  first 
at  Cambridge,  for  a  short  time  at  Ipswich,  but  for  the  long 
est  period  at  Roxbury.  Born  in  1574,  he  died  July  31, 
1653.  His  first  wife  died  February  27,  1643,  and  previ 
ous  to  1645  he  married  Katharine ,  who  survived  him. 

The  children  of  the  first  wife  were — 

Rev.  Samuel,  born  1606,  married  Mary,  daughter  of 
Governor  Winthrop,  settled  at  Exeter  in  1650,  died  before 
March  20,  1683.  His  wife  died  at  Salisbury,  April  12, 
1643. 

Anne,  a  poet,  and  the  wife  of  Governor  Bradstreet,  who 
died  September  18,  1672. 

Patience,  who  married  Major  General  Daniel  Dennison. 

Mercy,  Mrs.  Woodbridge  above  mentioned,  and 

Sarah,  who  married,  first,  Benjamin  Keayne,  and  sec 
ond,  Pacy.  Those  of  the  second  wife  were — 

Deborah,  born  in  Roxbury,  February  27, 1645,  and  mar 
ried  to Wade. 

Joseph,  (Governor,)  born  September  23, 1647,  who  mar 
ried  a  daughter  of  Edward  Tyng,  and 

Paul,  and  two  others.  One  daughter  married  a  Mr. 
Page. 

Of  the  twelve  children   of  JOHN   and   Mercy  WOOD- 


OR,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.  131 

BRIDGE,  one  died  young,  and  three  were  ministers,  viz., 
Juhn,  Tir/wt/iy,  and  Benjamin. 

Benjamin  settled  first  at  Bristol,  afterwards  at  Kittery, 
and  died  in  Medford,  January  15,  1710.  He  married 
Mary  Ward  of  Haverhill. 

Timothy,  born  about  1653,  settled  in  Hartford  in  1695, 
had  three  wives,  and  died,  April  30,  1732 :  great  grand 
father  of  the  Geographer. 

Juhn  graduated  in  1664,  settled  in  Killingworth  in  1666, 
and  in  Wethersfield  in  1679,  and  died  in  1692.  His  wife, 
Abigail  —  — ,  received  a  pension  until  1701,  probably  the 
period  of  her  death.  Two  daughters  of  the  family  married 
clergymen,  and  several  grandsons  entered  the  ministry. 

Among  the  children  of  John  and  Abigail  Woodbridge 
were — Rev.  Dudley  Woodbridge,  ordained  in  Simsbury, 
Connecticut,  November  10,  1697,  who  married  Dorothy 
Lamb  of  Roxbury,  Massachusetts,  and  died  August  3, 
1710.  His  widow  married  his  successor,  Timothy,  son  of 
Timothy  of  Hartford,  and  had  several  children. 

Rev.  Ephraim  Woodbridge,  born  June  25,  1680,  who 
married  Hannah  Morgan,  May  4,  1704,  and  settled  in  the 
ministry  at  Groton. 

Alary,  who  married  the  Rev.  Mr.  Ruggles  of  Suffield. 

JOHN,  two  years  older  than  Ephraim,  born  in  1678, 
graduated  in  1694,  settled  as  the  first  pastor  in  West 
Springfield  in  1698,  and  married,  November  14,  1699,  to 
Jemima  Eliot.  He  died  June  10,  1718.  Esteemed  for 
wisdom,  learning  and  piety  during  his  ministry,  his  death 
was  felt  to  be  a  heavy  blow  to  his  ministerial  brethren,  as 
well  as  to  his  people.  Mrs.  Woodbridge  survived  him, 
and  spent  some  of  her  last  years  with  her  sons,  Joseph  and 
Timothy,  in  Stockbridge. 

JOHN  ELIOT,  the  Indian  Apostle,  was  the  grandfather 
of  Mrs.  Woodbridge.  He  was  born  at  Nasing,  near  Lon 
don,  England,  in  1 604 ;  assisted  the  distinguished  Mr. 
Hooker  as  teacher  in  that  country,  was  converted  while  in 
his  family,  led  by  his  advice  to  enter  the  ministry,  and 
finally  he  followed  him  into  the  western  wilderness,  arriv 
ing  November  3,  1631.  He  soon  settled  in  Roxbury,  hav 
ing  been  selected  by  the  people  as  their  pastor  while  still 
in  England,  and  Miss  Anne  Mountfort,  a  lady  about  his 
own  age,  having  joined  him  according  to  agreement,  they 


132        STOCKBRIDGE,  PAST  AND  PRESENT  ; 

were  married  in  November,  1632.  He  commenced  his  la 
bors  among  the  Indians  in  1646,  delivering  his  first  sermon 
in  the  hut  of  Waban  on  Nonantum  hill,  in  Newton.  The 
site  is  still  known,  and  an  oak  is  yet  standing  on  the  spot, 
which,  from  its  size,  may  be  supposed  to  have  thrown  its 
shadow  upon  the  group  assembled. 

Mr.  Eliot  established  about  twenty  towns  of  "  Praying 
Indians,"  fourteen  of  them  of  such  distinction  as  to  attract 
attention,  framed  for  them  a  code  of  laws,  formed  churches, 
taught  them  the  arts  of  civilized  life,  and  translated  for 
them  the  Holy  Scriptures.  In  1687,  March  22,  Mrs.  El 
iot  died,  and  May  21,  1690,  her  husband  followed  her. 
Their  children  were — 

Anne,  born  September  13,  1633,  an  estimable  woman, 
who  remained  with  her  parents  during  their  life. 

Second,  John,  born  August  31,  1636,  died  October  13, 
1668,  pastor  of  Newton.  Wives,  Sarah ,  and  Eliza 
beth,  daughters  of  Daniel  Gookin,  Esq.,  the  historian. 

Third,  JOSEPH,  born  December  20,  1638,  the  father  of 
Mrs.  Woodbridge. 

Fourth,  Samuel,  born  June  22,  1641,  who  died  while  fit 
ting  for  the  ministry.  He  was  eminent  for  talents  and 
piety. 

Fifth,  Aaron,  born  February  19,  1643,  who  died  very 
young,  but  pious  ;  and, 

Sixth,  Benjamin,  born  June  29,  1646,  his  father's  mis 
sionary  assistant.  Of  these  sons,  only  Joseph  survived  his 
father. 

JOSEPH  ELIOT  was  graduated  in  1658,  and  after  preach 
ing  for  a  time  in  Northampton,  was  settled  in  Guilford, 
Connecticut,  1664,  and  married,  first,  Sarah,  daughter  of 
Governor  William  Brenton  of  Rhode  Island.  She  died 
in  Newport,  in  1674,  and  Mr.  Eliot,  married  second,  Mary, 
daughter  of  HON.  SAMUEL  WYLLYS,  (of  Hartford,)  and 
Ruth  Haynes,  his  wife.  He  is  spoken  of  in  history  as 
"  That  burning  and  shining  light,"  but  his  successful  min 
istry  was  closed  by  death,  May  24,  1694,  and  his  wife  died 
October  11,  1729,  aged  73. 

SAMUEL  WYLLYS  died  May  30,  1709;  his  daughter 
Mehitabd,  married,  first,  Rev.  Daniel  Russell  of  Charles- 
town,  second,  Rev.  Isaac  Foster  of  the  first  Church  in 
Hartford,  and  it  is  said  that  a  third  husband  was  Rev.  Tim 
othy  Woodbridge,  his  successor. 


Oil,  RECORDS  OP  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.         133 

The  father  of  Mr.  Wyllys  was  GOVERNOR  GEORGE 
W.,  who  "  left  a  fine  estate  in  England  for  the  Gos 
pel's  sake,"  and  came  to  America  in  1G38.  He  brought 
over  and  planted  on  his  estate  in  Hartford,  the  Apple-tree 
which  still  flourishes  near  the  Charter  Oak,  that  ground 
being  a  part  of  his  farm.  By  the  order  to  hide  the  Char 
ter,  we  find  that  the  tree  stood  "  in  front  of  the  dwelling 
of  Hon.  Samuel  Wyllys,"  then  one  of  the  magistrates. 
GEORGE  died  in  March,  1644  ;  Hczckiah,  his  son,  (Secre 
tary  AVyllys,)  in  1734.  The  secretaryship  descended  from 
father  to  son,  continuing  in  the  family  for  98  successive 
years.  SAMUEL  died  May  30,  1709.  His  wife  Ruth 
JIayncs,  was  daughter  to  JOHN  HAYNES,  from  Essex 
County,  England,  who  emigrated  with  Mr.  Hooker  in 
1G33,  and  after  holding  the  office  of  Governor  in  Massa 
chusetts,  assisted  in  founding  the  Colony  of  Connecticut. 
From  1639  to  1654,  the  date  of  his  death,  he  was  chosen 
Governor  of  Connecticut  every  alternate  year,  which  was 
as  often  as  the  constitution  would  permit.  Joseph,  his  son, 
succeeded  Mr.  Hooker  and  Mr.  Stone,  in  the  First  Church 
of  Hartford. 

Having  thus  given  the  parentage  of  Mrs.  Joseph  Eliot, 
we  will  return  to  her  family,  consisting  of  eight  children, 
viz. : 

First,  Mchitabel,  born  October  1,  1676,  and  married  to 
William  Wilson.  She  died  April  19,  1723. 

Second,  Anna,  born  December  12,  1677,  who  married 
Jonathan  Law  of  Milford,  December  20,  1698,  and  died 
November  16, 1703.  Mr.  Law  was  Judge  of  the  Supreme 
Court,  Chief  Justice,  Lieutenant  Governor  and  Governor 
of  Connecticut,  and  his  sons  and  grandsons  have  also  stood 
high  in  civil  life. 

Third,  Jemima,  (Mrs  John  Woodbridge  of  West  Spring 
field,)  born  in  1680. 

Fourth,  Baslma,  born  in  1682,  who  married  Augustus 
Lucas  of  Fairfield. 

Fifth,  Jarcd,  D.  D.,  distinguished  as  a  divine,  a  physi 
cian  and  a  natural  philosopher,  who  settled  at  Killingworth, 
and  died  in  1763,  leaving  a  large  family. 

Sixth,  Mary,  born  in  1687,  and  married  first  to  Samuel 
Hart  of  Durham,  second  to  Abraham  Pierson  of  Clinton, 
7 


134  STOCKBRIDGE,  FAST  AND  PRESENT  ; 

Ct.,  third  to  Richard  Treat  of  Wethersfield,  and  fourth  to 
Mr.  Hooker. 

Seventh,  Rebecca,  born  in  1090,  who  married,  first  John 
Trowbridge,  October  26,  1710,  second  Mr.  Fiske,  third 
Deacon  William  Dudley  of  North  Guilford,  December  18, 
1749.  She  died  February  9,  1782;  and 

Eighth,  Obiel,  who  married  Mary,  daughter  of  John 
Leet  of  Guilford. 

We  have  now  given  the  ancestry  of  TIMOTHY  WOOD- 
BRIDGE  of  Stockbridge,  son  of  REV.  JOHN  WOODBRIDGE 
of  West  Springfield,  and  Jemima  Eliot  his  wife,  so  far  as 
we  have  been  able  to  gather  it.  His  brothers  were  five  in 
number,  and  his  sisters  two,  viz.  First,  Abigail,  born  De 
cember  22,  1700,  was  married  to  John  Mixer,  October  30, 
1734.  Childless.  Second,  John,  born  December  25, 1702, 
was  settled  first  at  Pequonnac  in  1729,  and  was  installed 
in  South  Hadley  in  1742..  He  died  in  1783.  His  first 
wife  was  Miss  Ruggles  of  New  Jersey,  by  whom  he  had 
two  sons,  John,  and  Col.  Ruggles  Woodbriclge,  member  of 
the  Legislature  for  many  years,  an  energetic  and  excellent 
man.  The  second  wife  was  Miss  Clark  of  Belchertown. 
She  had  five  children,  one  of  whom  was  the  father  of  Rev. 
John  Woodbridge  of  Old  Hadley,  Rev.  Sylvester  W.,  and 
Mindwell,  the  wife  of  Mr.  Gould  of  Southampton.  A 
daughter  married  Rev.  Joseph  Strong,  and  was  the  mother 
of  Prof.  Strong  of  Rutger's  College,  Dr.  W.  Strong  of 
Boston,  and  Dr.  M.  Strong  of  Rochester.  Of  her  daugh 
ters,  one  married  a  son  of  President  Dwight,  another  Pro 
fessor  Avery  of  Hamilton  College,  and  a  third  Dr.  Bogert 
of  the  Sailor's  Snug  Harbor.  The  first  missionary  to 
California  was  also  a  descendant  of  Rev.  J.  W.  of  South 
Hadley. 

Third,  Jahleel,  born  Dec.  11,  1704;  died,  April  27, 1705. 

Fourth,  Joseph,  born  Feb.  10,  1807  ;  will  have  a  sep 
arate  notice. 

Timothy,  born  Feb.  27,  1709,  was  the  fifth  child. 

Sixth,  Benjamin,  bom  Feb.  14, 1711 ;  died  March  23,  of 
the  same  year. 

Seventh,  Benjamin,  born  June  15,  1712,  was  settled  in 
Amity,  Ct.,  now  called  Woodbridge  in  honor  of  him.  He 
was  a  man  of  great  shrewdness  and  wit,  and  many  of  his 
sayings  are  remembered  to  this  day.  He  also  possessed 


OB,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.        135 

to  an  unusual  degree  the  affection  and  confidence  of  his 
people.     lie  died  Dec.  24,  1785,  aged  73. 

Eighth,  Jemima,  born  June  30,  1717,  married  Mr. 
Nicholson,  a  merchant,  and  removed  to  New  Jersey  ;  but 
after  his  death  she  joined  her  brothers  in  Stockbridge,  and 
for  several  summers  taught  a  school  of  small  children  in 
Goodrich  street.  As  has  been  observed,  the  mother  also 
removed  to  Stockbridge,  and  thus  this  place  became,  rather 
than  any  other,  the  home  of  the  family. 

Timothy  was,  strictly  speaking,  the  first  white  inhab 
itant  of  missionary  Stockbridge.  He  was  also  the  first 
deacon  in  the  church,  the  first  magistrate  in  the  town,  and 
the  Superintendent  of  Indian  Affairs,  for  which  service  he 
received  from  England  a  crown  a  day.  He  was  Judge  of 
his  Majesty's  Inferior  Court,  and  after  1761,  was  Judge 
both  of  Probate  and  Common  Pleas.  Just  before  his 
death,  which  occurred  May  11,  1774,  he  was  chosen  as 
member  of  the  Governor's  Council  by  mandamus  from  the 
King,  but  declined  the  office.  His  docket,  an  antique  relic 
indeed,  was  destroyed  by  a  fire  which  occurred  in  Ver- 
gennes,  Vt,  in  1846.  Mr.  Woodbridge  built  first  on  the 
South  side  of  the  road,  a  short  distance  to  the  East  of  the 
house  of  Mr.  Stephen  W.  Jones  ;  but  he  afterwards  built 
on  the  site  now  occupied  by  Mr.  Samuel  Goodrich.  He 
was  Married  in  1736  to  Miss  Abigail  Day  of  West  Spring 
field,  whose  father,  Samuel  Day,  born  May  20,  1671,  was 
married  in  1697  to  Marah  Dumbleton.  The  parents  of 
Samuel  Day  were  Thomas  and  Sarah  Day.  Mrs.  Wood- 
bridge  was  born  March,  17,  1713,  and  died  Dec.  4,  1772. 
Her  children  were  : — 

Abigail,  born  in  West  Springfield  in  1737,  who  married 
Mr.  Townsend  of  New  Haven. 

Second,  Sybil,  born  about  1743,  who  Married  Capt. 
William  Goodrich,  and  settled  in  Stockbridge,  where  she 
died  Jan.  21,  1782,  aged  39.  Her  children  were  first, 
Experience;  and  William,  who  died  June  10,  1771,  aged 
9  years.  Mrs.  Goodrich  died  June  21,  1782,  aged  39. 

Third,  Silvia,  born  about  1745,  who  married  Capt, 
Phineas  Morgan  from  Springfield,  settled  in  Stockbridge, 
and  died  Dec.  3,  1806.  Her  son,  Miles  Morgan,  settled  in 
West  Stockbridge,  had  a  large  family,  but  buried  five  of 
them  in  the  church-yard  in  this  place.  He  died  Oct.  8, 


136         STOCKBRIDGE,  PAST  AND  PRESENT  ; 

1842,  aged  64,  his  father,  May  26,  aged  79,  his  mother, 
Dec.  3,  1806. 

Fourth,  Timothy,  who  died  young. 

Fifth,  William,  who  married  Martha,  daughter  of  Joseph 
Patterson  of  Richmond,  and  moved  at  an  early  date  to  that 
part  of  New  Haven,  Vt.,  now  included  in  Waltham ;  and 
from  thence  to  Madrid,  N.  Y.  His  children  were,  first, 
Abigail,  married  Mr.  Stockman  of  Vergennes,  Vt.,  and  had 
six  children;  second,  Electa,  married  to  Abel  Allen  of 
Ferrisburg,  and  died  in  New  York,  leaving  two  children  ; 
third,  William,  married  to  Betsey  Whitney  and  had  seve 
ral  children;  fourth,  Sereno,  who  married  and  had  one 
child;  fifth,  Lucy,  married,  first,  to  Potter  Scranton  of 
Vermont,  second,  to  Mr.  Thompson,  with  whom  she  moved 
to  Canada — she  had  children  by  both  marriages ;  sixth, 
Martha,  married  to  William  Whitney,  had  three  children ; 
and  seventh,  John  Eliot,  who  married  in  Madrid  rather 
late  in  life. 

Sixth,  Enoch,  born  Dec.  25,  1750,  married  Nancy  Win- 
chell  of  Oblong,  N.  Y.,  in  1774,  and  had  children — first, 
Timothy,  born  Aug.  16,  1775,  and  married  to  Lydia  Chip- 
man,  July  3,  1801  ;  second,  Enoch,  born  May  15,  1777, 
died  Sept.  19,  1778  ;  third,  Enoch  Day,  born  July  16, 
1779,  married  Clara  Strong  of  Vergennes,  Oct.  12,  1806, 
— was  several  times  representative  from  that  city  to  the 
Legislature,  twice  County  Senator,  three  years  Mayor, 
and  during  the  same  period  Chief  Judge  of  the  City 
Court,  and  died  July  17,  1853  ;  fourth,  Sophia,  born  Apr. 
30,  1784,  married  to  Isaac  Hopkins  of  Hopkinton,  1812  ; 
fifth,  Harriet,  born  Apr.  25,  1786,  married  to  Benjamin 
W.  Hopkins;  sixth,  Nancy,  born  Aug.  30,  1788,  married 
to  Thomas  Geer,  Feb.  22,  1810  ;  seventh,  Betsey,  born 
July  5,  1790,  married  to  Ville  Lawrence  of  Vergennes, 
Dec.  4, 1814,  died  Nov.  23, 1830  ;  and  eighth,  Sally  Maria, 
born  Jan.  30,  1796,  married  to  Henry  Weed,  July  4, 1821. 
Enoch,  (the  elder)  died  Apr.  25,  1805,  his  first  wife,  May 
11,  1800,  and  his  second,  Sabria  Hopkins,  (married  Jan. 
1,  1802)  Jan.  5,  1807.  He  was  graduated  at  Yale  in  1774, 
but  soon  entered  the  army,  was  an  adjutant  in  General  Pat 
terson's  brigade.  As  Lieutenant  Woodbridge,  connected 
with  Arnold's  volunteer  command  at  Ticonderoga  and 
Crown  Point  in  1775,  he  is  known  in  history.  He 


OR,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.  137 

stobd  by  the  side  of  Montgomery  when  he  fell  at  Quebec, 
returned  from  thence  in  1776,  was  at  the  battles  of  Hub- 
bardton  and  Bennington,  and  at  the  taking  of  Burgoyne, 
was  wounded  at  White  Plains,  and  continued  in  the  army 
until  the  close  of  the  war,  1783,  the  latter  part  of  the  time 
as  Commissary,  stationed  at  Albany  and  Bennington. 
After  the  close  of  the  war,  he  removed  from  Stockbridge 
and  commenced  practice  in  Pownal,  Vt.  Thence  he 
removed  to  Manchester,  but  finally  settled  in  Vergennes, 
of  which  city  he  was  the  first  Mayor,  representing  it,  also, 
for  many  years  in  the  Legislature,  after  which  he  was 
Chief  Judge  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  State.  He 
maintained  the  character  of  a  man  of  strict  integrity  and 
true  benevolence,  "  and,"  says  one,  "  may  be  said  to  have 
died  without  an  enemy." 

Seventh,  Electa,  who  married  Colonel  Stephen  Pearl  of 
Stockbridge,  Nov.  5,  1773. 

Eighth,  Lucy,  who  married  Ephraim  Grant  of  Tolland, 
Ct.,  Oct.  14,  1772  ;  no  children.  Eunice  Woodbridge  of 
Stockbridge,  married  Dr.  Samuel  Lee  of  Great  Barring- 
ton,  Jan.  21,  1762,  and  Samuel  Woodbridge,  married 
Mary  Nicholson  of  Stockbridge,  July  15,  1765  ;  but  their 
names  do  not  appear  on  the  record  furnished  by  Hon. 
Enoch  D.  Woodbridge  of  Vergennes. 

JOSEPH    WOODBRIDGE    AND    FAMILY. 

As  JOSEPH  was  a  brother  of  Timothy,  his  ancestry  may 
be  found  under  the  same  head.  He  was  born  Feb.  10, 
1707,  and,  May  10,  1730,  married  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Barnard, 
cousin  to  Mrs.  Timothy  Woodbridge.  Her  former  hus 
band  was  Joseph  Barnard.  They  were  published  Dec. 
30,  1721,  and  he  died  Dec.  3, 1728.  Their  children  were : 

First,  Elizabeth,  born  Jan.  18,  1702-3,  and  married  in 
Stockbridge,  Oct.,  1787,  to  Rev.  Thomas  Strong,  first  pas 
tor  of  New  Marlborough.  She  had  seven  children — Eliz 
abeth,  born  Dec.  12,  1788,  married  Rev.  E.  Steele  of 
Egremont ;  Jerusha,  born  March  21,  1750 ;  Joseph,  born 
Feb.  3,  1752,  married  Xena  Jackson  of  Tyringham, 
(afterwards  Mrs.  Dr.  Catlin  of  New  Marlborough;) 
Ashbel,  born  Jan.  19,  1754;  Persis,  born  Feb.  9,  1756; 
Lucina,  born  May  31, 1758  ;  Lucina  Mehitable,  born  Dec. 
3,  1761.  Mrs.  Strong  died  Dec.  24,  1761. 


138  STOCKBRIDGE,  PAST  AND  PRESENT; 

Second,  Mary,  born  Sept.  25,  1724. 

Third,  Sarah,  born  Sept,  20,  1726. 

Fourth,  Joseph,  born  May  20,  1729.  He  moved  from 
Stockbridge  after  1754. 

After  her  marriage  with  Mr.  "Woodbridge,  Mrs.  Barnard 
had  five  children.  The  first  two  were  born  in  West 
Springfield,  and  the  others  probably  in  Wethersfield,  Ct., 
to  which  place  the  family  removed.  These  children  were  : 

First,  Jemima,  born  Feb.  28,  1731,  married  to  Jacob 
Cooper  of  Stockbridge. 

Second,  Isabella,  born  Jan.  16,  1733,  married  to  Zenas 
Parsons. 

Third,  Mabel,  born  Feb.  13,  1735,  married  to  Captain 
Josiah  Jones. 

Fourth,  Jahleel,  born  about  1738,  married  to  Lucy, 
daughter  of  President  Edwards. 

Fifth,  Stephen,  who  died  when  a  youth,  and  of  whom 
we  have  no  dates. 

Mr.  Woodbridge  came  to  Stockbridge  when  Jahleel  was 
at  the  age  of  eleven  months.  He  lived  first  on  the  site 
now  occupied  by  Stephen  W.  Jones.  The  exact  situation 
of  the  house  is  now  covered  by  the  garden  of  Mr.  Jones. 
Traces  of  the  well,  the  cellar,  and  even  of  the  ash-heap 
may  still  be  seen.  Subsequently  he  built  on  the  corner 
now  occupied  by  Mr.  Stanton,  the  house  standing  a  few 
rods  south  of  that  of  Mr.  Stanton.  It  was  of  one  story, 
and  painted  red.  The  "  Settle  Lot,"  of  Mr.  Woodbridge, 
as  conveyed  to  John  Willard,  July  5,  1750,  was  bounded 
"  Northwesterly,  partly  by  a  highway,  and  partly  by  David 
Pixley's  land,  northeasterly  by  the  marsh  or  mill  pond, 
southeasterly  and  southerly  by  the  lines  originally  run  in 
laying  out  said  lot ;  and  was  sold  for  £2500  Old  Tenor 
Bills,  well  and  truly  paid."  Tradition  says  that  he  and 
Mr.  Willard  exchanged  land.  Probably  lie  first  sold  to 
Mr.  Willard  and  built  near  his  brother  on  Goodrich  street, 
and  afterwards,  by  exchange,  regained  his  old  government 
grant.  Certain  it  is  that  there  his  last  days  were  spent. 
Of  the  date  of  his  death,  or  that  of  his  wife,  we  have  been 
able  to  find  no  record.  We  only  know  that  he  lived  after 
the  Revolutionary  war. 

Before  giving  the  statistics  of  his  posterity,  we  will 
insert  the  little  we  possess  concerning  the  ancestry  of  Mrs, 


OR,   RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.  139 

Woodbridge.  She  was  born  Nov.  1, 1G97,  being  ten  years 
older  than  her  husband,  and  was  the  daughter  of  John 
Merrick,  born  Dec.  9,  1658, and  his  wife,  Mary  Day,  born 
Dec.  15,  1GG6,  both  of  Springfield,  and  married  Feb.  11, 
168G-7.  Mr.  Merrick  was  the  son  of  Thomas  and  Eliza 
beth  (Tilley)  Merrick,  married  Nov.  21,  1G53  ;  and  Mrs. 
Mary  (Day)  Merrick  was  the  daughter  of  Thomas  and 
Sarah  Day,  all  of  Springfield.  Thomas  Merrick  emigrated 
from  Wales  to  Roxbury,  and  thence  to  Springfield  with 
Mr.  Pynchon  in  1636.  He  was  the  father  of  James  Mer 
rick,  and  doubtless  of  Thomas.  The  Days  were  early 
inhabitants  of  West  Springfield,  where  the  family  still 
remains.  Of  the  name  of  Tilley,  we  only  know  that 
Edward  and  John  Tilley  brought  over  families  in  the  May 
Flower,  and  both  died  in  Plymouth  before  the  opening  of 
Spring. 

DESCENDANTS    OF     JOSEPH    WOODBRIDGE. 

Jemima,  known  as  "  Aunt  Cooper,"  lived  for  a  time  near 
the  Lenox  line,  on  the  East  street ;  but  after  the  alarm  in 
1755,  returned  to  the  village  and  lived  in  what  was  after 
wards  the  "  Aunt  Cooper  House,"  which  stood  in  what 
is  now  the  garden  of  Mrs.  Wells.  In  that  one  story 
building  of  three  ground  rooms,  she  managed  to  keep  as 
boarders  such  gentlemen  as  could  afford  to  pay  well  for  a 
home.  She  never  set  a  price  ;  but  they  payed  all  her 
bills  quarterly,  and  then  made  up  a  purse  for  her.  She 
was  universally  beloved  and  respected.  She  died  about 
1800,  childless. 

Isabella  removed  to  Springfield  at  her  marriage,  and 
died  there.  Her  children  were  Stephen,  Pamela,  and 
Elizabeth,  who  married  Mr.  Sheldon,  and  had  a  son,  now 
dead,  and  a  daughter.  Her  family  constitute  the  descend 
ants  of  Mrs.  Parsons. 

Mabel  will  be  mentioned  in  the  family  of  her  husband, 
Capt.  Jones. 

Jahleel  was  graduated  at  Princeton  in  1761,married  Lucy 
Edwards  June  7,  1764,  was  Judge  of  Probate  Court  from 
1789  tO(1795,  State  Senator  four  years,  and  a  member  of 
the  County  Convention  which  met  here  in  1774.  He  died 
Aug.  3,  179 G,  aged  58.  His  first  wife  died  Sept.  17,  178G  ; 


140  STOCKBRIDGE,  PAST  AND  PRESENT  ; 

and  he  married,  second,  the  widow  of  Rev.  John  Keep  of 
Sheffield,  formerly  Miss  Bobbins,  who  survived  him.  His 
children  were : — 

First,  Stephen,  born  March  12,  1765,  who  married  Ra 
chel  Wells  of  West  Hartford,  and  died  in  Youngstown, 
Ohio,  August  7,  1836.  Mrs.  Woodbridge,  born  April  9, 
1767,  died  in  Stockbridge,  November  7,  1833. 

Second,  Jonathan,  born  January  24,  1767,  who  married 
Miss  Meach,  and  settled  as  a  lawyer  in  Worthington,  Mas 
sachusetts,  where  he  died  in  1808.  Rev.  Jonathan  Wood- 
bridge,  editor  of  the  "  Living  Age,"  and  Rev.  George 
Woodbridge  of  Richmond,  Virginia,  are  his  sons. 

Third,  Lucy,  born  April  14,  1769,  who  married  Jona 
than,  son  of  Timothy  Edwards,  Esq.,  and  settled  in . 

Fourth,  Joseph,  born  July  22,  1771,  who  was  married, 
May  25,  1800,  to  Louisa,  daughter  of  Col.  Mark  Hopkins, 
and  settled  as  a  lawyer  in  Stockbridge.  For  several  years 
previous  to  his  death,  he  held  the  office  of  County  Clerk. 
He  died  April  23,  1829.  His  wife  died  February  9,  1819, 
aged  44. 

Fifth,  Elizabeth,  born  July  1, 1775,  who  married  Elisha, 
son  of  Samuel  Browne,  Esq.,  and  settled  in  Stockbridge. 
For  some  20  years  past,  however,  she  has  resided  in  Day 
ton,  Ohio,  where  her  husband  died  in  February  1853. 

Sixth,  Sarah  Edwards,  born  June  7,  1775,  the  second 
wife  of  Moses  Lester  of  Griswold,  Connecticut,  and  moth 
er  of  C.  Edwards  Lester,  the  author.  Her  husband  died 
in  Griswold  in  1815,  and  she  in  Constantia,  New  York, 
December  11,  1837.  The  date  of  their  marriage  was  No 
vember  2,  1807. 

Seventh,  John  Eliot,  born  June  24,  1777,  who  married 
and  lived  in  Youngstown. 

Eighth,  Anna,  born  November  6,  1779,  who  died  in 
youth  ;  and 

Ninth,  Timothy,  born  November  23,  1783,  who  married 
Cynthia  Phelps  of  Green  River,  New  York.  Dr.  Wood- 
bridge  lost  his  sight  while  preparing  for  the  ministry,  but 
completed  his  studies,  and  after  preaching  in  New  York 
and  other  places,  settled  in  Green  River,  from  which  place 
he  afterwards  removed  to  Spencertown  in  the  same  county. 
In  1852  he  retired  from  the  pastoral  office,  but  preaches 
as  stated  supply  much  of  the  time,  devoting  his  leisure 
chiefly  to  writing. 


OR,  RECORDS  OP  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.         141 

The  Woodbridge  family  has  always  numbered  an  unu 
sual  proportion  of  clergymen.  A  late  publication  speaks 
of  Rev.  Ashbel  Woodbridge  of  Glastenbury,  Connecticut, 
as  being  one  of  the  family  who  were  ministers  in  the  Col 
ony  at  or  near  the  same  time,  not  one  of  whom  was  ever 
dismissed.  Ashbel  was  a  son  of  Rev.  Timothy  Wood- 
bridge  of  Hartford. 

COL.    EPHRAIM    WILLIAMS    AND    FAMILY. 

ROBERT  WILLIAMS,  the  ancestor  of  this  family,  came 
from  Norwich,  England,  to  Roxbury,  where  he  was  ad 
mitted  freeman  in  1638.  He  is  believed  to  have  been  a 
Welshman.  His  first  wife,  who  died  July  28,  1674,  at  the 
age  of  80,  was  Elizabeth  Stratton.  She  had  four  sons, 
viz.,  Samuel,  born  in  1632  ;  Isaac,  born  in  1638  ;  Stephen, 
born  in  1640;  and  Thomas,  who  died  young.  His  second 
wife  is  supposed  to  have  been  Martha  Strong.  She  died 
in  1704,  aged  91.  Mr.  Williams  died  September  1,  1693, 
supposed  to  have  been  over  100  years  of  age.  In  his  will 
he  mentions  a  brother,  Nicholas  Williams,  and  grand 
children  by  the  names  of  Robinson  and  Totman,  who  may 
have  been  married  themselves,  or  been  the  children  of 
married  daughters.  Samuel  Williams  married  Theoda 
Park,  was  a  deacon  of  Roxbury  church,  and  died  Septem 
ber  28,  1698.  The  Williams  family  distinguished  in  Deer- 
field  history,  were  descended  from  this  son. 

Stephen  Williams  lived  on  his  ancestral  estate  and  took 
charge  of  his  father  and  of  his  uncle,  Nicholas  Williams, 
during  their  life  time,  as  ordered  in  the  will.  He  married 
Sarah  Wise,  and  died  February  15,  1719-20. 

Isaac  Williams,  born  September  1, 1638,  settled  in  New 
ton  in  1661,  at  the  age  of  23,  and  died  in  1708.  His  first 
wife  was  Martha,  daughter  of  Dea.  William  Park  of  Rox 
bury,  married  about  1661.  Dea.  Park,  it  is  supposed,  may 
have  been  the  son  of  Edward  Park  of  London,  and  brother 
of  Henry  of  London,  Richard  of  Cambridge,  Samuel  of 
Mystic,  and  Thomas  of  Stonington,  Connecticut.  His 
wife  Sarah,  was  living  in  1668  :  he  died  in  1665. 

The  second  wife  of  Isaac  Williams  was  Judith  Cooper. 
He  died  February  11,  1707,  aged  69.     His  children  by  his 
first  wife  were — 
7* 


142  STOCKBRIDGE,  PAST  AND  PRESENT  ; 

Isaac,  born  December  11,  1661,  who  married  Elizabeth 
,  and  died  in  1739  ; 

Martha,  born  December  27,  1663  ; 

William,  born  February  2,  1665,  mentioned  as  the  min 
ister  of  Hatfield ; 

John,  born  August  31,  1667,  who  settled  in  Stonington, 
Connecticut ; 

Eleazer,  born  October  22,  1669,  also  settled  at  Stoning 
ton  ;  and 

Thomas,  born  October  23,  1673. 

Children  of  the  second  marriage — 

Peter,  born  August  31, 1680 ; 

Sarah,  born  October  2,  1688  ; 

Ephraim,  born  October  21,  1691, — Col.  Ephraim  Wil 
liams  of  Stockbridge. 

These  are  all  the  names  we  have  found,  though  the 
"  Settlement  of  Newton"  gives  12  as  the  number  of  his 
children.  The  others  probably  died  young. 

Col.  Ephraim  Williams  lived  for  some  years  after  his 
marriage,  with  his  brother  at  Hatfield,  but  came  to  Stock- 
bridge  from  Newton,  where  the  greater  part  of  his  married 
life  had  been  spent.  His  first  marriage  was  with  Eliza 
beth,  daughter  of  Abraham  Jackson  of  Newton. 

Dea.  John  Jackson,  from  London,  father  of  Abraham, 
was  the  first  settler  of  Newton  who  remained  there  through 
life,  "  and,"  says  the  author  of  "  The  Settlement  of  New 
ton,"  to  whom  we  are  much  indebted  for  information,  "  the 
date  when  he  came  into  the  village  may  be  properly  con 
sidered  as  the  centennial  anniversary  of  the  first  settle 
ment."  He  was  then  39  years  of  age.  He  bought  a  house 
and  eighteen  acres  of  land  in  1639,  and  took  the  Free 
man's  oath  in  1641.  He  was  one  of  the  first  deacons  in 
the  church,  and  gave  an  acre  of  land  for  the  church  and 
grave-yard.  On  this  the  first  house  of  worship  was  erect 
ed.  Newton  originally  formed  a  part  of  Cambridge,  and 
the  whole  was  known  as  New  Town. 

Dea.  Jackson  was  probably  the  brother  of  Edward  Jack 
son,  and  if  so,  he  was  the  son  of  Christopher  Jackson,  who 
died  in  London,  December  5,  1663.  The  first  wife  of  Ed 
ward  was  named  Frances,  and  the  second  (married  in 
March,  1649,)  was  the  widow  of  Rev.  John  Oliver,  for 
merly  Miss  Margaret  Newgate.  He  was  born  in  1602, 


OR,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.         143 

settled  in  Newton  in  1G43,  and  died  in  1081.  These  two 
were  the  most  wealthy  among  the  settlers  of  Newton. 
Dea.  Jackson  had  two  wives,  the  last  of  whom,  Margaret, 
died  August  28,  1684,  aged  GO.  He  died  January  30, 
1675.  He  had  5  sons  and  10  daughters.  Edward,  his 
son,  was  killed  by  the  Indians  at  the  time  of  their  destruc 
tion  of  Medford,  February  21,  1676,  and  a  son  John  was  in 
active  life  in  1678  ;  but  Abraham,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Wil 
liams,  was  the  only  one  who  reared  a  family.  By  him  an 
other  acre  was  added  to  the  gift  of  his  father,  and  together, 
they  form  the  ancient  part  of  the  Center  Cemetery.  He 
married  Elizabeth  Biscoe. 

The  children  of  Col.  Ephraim  Williams  and  his  first 
wife,  Elizabeth  Jackson,  were — 

First,  Epliraim,  born  February  23,  1715,  and  second, 
Thomas,  born  February  24,  1718,  6  weeks  previous  to  the 
death  of  the  mother.  The  second  wife  of  Col.  Williams 
was  Abigail,  daughter  of  Josiah  and  Abigail  (Barnes) 
Jones  of  Weston.  Her  ancestry  may  be  seen  by  turning 
to  the  article  "  Josiah  Jones  and  Family."  She  was  mar 
ried  May  21,  1719.  Her  children  were — 

First,  Abigail,  born  April  20,  1721,  mentioned  as  the 
wife  of  Mr.  Sergeant. 

Second,  Josiah,  who  married  Miss  Sergeant  of  New  Jer 
sey,  lived  for  a  time  with  his  father,  was  wounded  serious 
ly,  but  not  fatally,  at  the  battle  near  Lake  George,  when 
his  brother  Ephraim  fell,  and  died,  it  appears,  in  Stock- 
bridge,  May  6,  1759,  at  the  age  of  38. 

Third,  Judith,  who  was  married  in  Stockbridge,  Sept. 
17,  1761,  to  Rev.  Ezra  Thayer  of  Ware,  Massachusetts. 
He  died  February  12,  1775,  and  she  returned  to  Stock- 
bridge,  built  the  house  now  the  residence  of  Mrs.  Archibald 
Hopkins,  and  died  April  5,  1801,  aged  72.  Her  family  is 
now  extinct. 

Fourth,  Elizabeth,  the  wife  of  Dr.  Stephen  West,  and 
fifth,  Elijah.  Some  members  of  this  family  should  have 
more  than  a  passing  notice. 

Ephraim,  the  eldest,  went  early  to  sea,  and  visited  Eng 
land,  Spain,  Holland,  &c.,  but  abandoned  the  life  of  a  sailor 
at  his  father's  request.  He  came  to  Stockbridge  after  the 
removal  of  the  family  to  this  place,  (1737,)  made  several 
large  purchases  of  land,  and  represented  the  town  in  the 


144  STOCKBRIDGE,   PAST  AND  PRESENT  ; 

General  Court.  Dr.  Williams  speaks  of  him  as  returning 
to  Hatfield  in  1748,  and  serving  as  Deputy  Sheriff  under 
Col.  Oliver  Partridge  of  that  town.  It  was  during  his  res 
idence  here,  therefore,  that  he  was  appointed  Captain  of  a 
company  raised  in  New  England  for  the  Canada  Expedi 
tion,  designed  to  put  an  end  to  the  Indian  invasions  which 
kept  the  country  in  a  state  of  painful  agitation.  Soon  after 
his  appointment,  Capt.  Williams  was  placed  in  command  of 
the  line  of  Massachusetts  Forts,  west  of  the  river,  extend 
ing  from  Fort  Dummer,  in  Vernon,  Vermont,  to  Fort  Mas 
sachusetts,  on  the  Hoosick,  three  or  four  miles  east  of  Wil- 
liamstown.  He  had  also  command  of  a  small  fort  at  Wil- 
liamstown.  He  resided  usually  at  Fort  Massachusetts ; 
but  when  this  fort  was  attacked  by  De  Vaudreuil,  August 
20,  1746,  he  had  joined  the  army  of  the  Expedition.  The 
fort  was  rebuilt  and  garrisoned  by  him  in  1748,  and  stood 
an  attack  of  about  330  French  and  Indians  on  the  2d  of 
August.  The  attack  was  sudden  and  the  danger  great. 
Two  men  were  killed  and  one  wounded ;  and  the  brave 
captain  was  soon  promoted  to  the  rank  of  Major.  It  was 
at  the  close  of  this  war  that  he  settled  again  in  Hatfield, 
from  whence  he  had  come  to  Stockbridge. 

In  1755,  he  was  again  called  to  the  battle  field.  Gov. 
Shirley  appointed  him  to  the  command  of  a  regiment,  and 
he  was  ordered  to  join  the  eccentric  William — afterwards 
Sir  William — Johnson,  at  Albany,  he  having  command  of 
the  expedition  against  Crown  Point.  Fort  Edward  was 
partially  built,  and  manned,  and  Johnson  took  a  position  at 
the  southern  extremity  of  Lake  George,  preparing  mean 
time  to  proceed  to  Ticonderoga.  But  Baron  Dieskau  was 
too  quick  for  him ;  and  having  secured  that  important  post, 
came  down  with  an  army  of  1800  or  more,  intending  to 
take  Fort  Edward,  &c.,  and  cut  off  Johnson  from  all  sup 
plies.  When  near  that  fort,  however,  he  yielded  to  the 
fears  of  his  Indians,  and  turned  towards  the  careless  com 
mander  on  the  Lake.  But  Johnson,  partially  aroused, 
sent  notice  of  the  enemy's  landing  to  Col.  Blanchard,  and 
called  a  council  of  war  on  the  night  of  the  7tli — Septem 
ber,  1755.  It  was  proposed  to  send  out  a  small  force  to 
arrest  Dieskau ;  but  when  the  opinion  of  Hendrick,  the  In 
dian  Chief,  was  asked,  he  replied  that  if  they  were  to  fight 
they  were  too  few,  if  to  be  killed,  too  many.  His  advice 


OK,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.  145 

was  taken,  and  1200  were  sent  under  the  command  of  Wil 
liams,  Hendrick  and  his  band  being  of  the  number.  Be 
fore  marching,  the  aged  Chief  mounted  a  gun-carriage  and 
harangued  his  warriors  with  true  Indian  eloquence.  One 
of  the  American  officers  present  declared  that  though  he 
understood  not  one  word,  yet  such  was  the  manner  of  the 
speaker,  and  such  the  evident  propriety  and  force  of  his 
counsels  that  he  was  more  affected  by  it  than  by  any  other 
speech  to  which  he  ever  listened.  The  head  of  the  Brave 
was  then  covered  with  long  white  locks,  and  he  was  loved 
with  the  deepest  veneration  by  every  warrior. 

Dieskau  approached  the  Americans  through  the  woods, 
his  army  ranged  in  the  form  of  a  crescent,  and  coming  to  a 
defile  where  they  could  take  every  advantage,  he  suddenly 
commenced  a  heavy  fire,  which  was  accompanied  by  the 
fierce  yell  of  his  Indians.  Williams  now  found  himself  in 
the  centre  of  this  line,  and  attempting  to  gain  the  eminence 
on  one  side,  was  shot  through  the  head.  Hendrick  was 
also  fatally  wounded  in  the  back  by  a  fire  from  the  enemy's 
flank,  a  circumstance  which  greatly  grieved  him,  as  it  car 
ried  the  appearance  of  his  having  turned  his  back  to  the 
foe.  Col.  Whiting  bravely  commanded  the  retreat  which 
had  now  become  inevitable,  and  after  the  first  fire  few  of 
the  Americans  fell.  A  pond  in  the  vicinity,  behind  which 
the  retreating  army  took  refuge,  and  into  which  the  French 
threw  the  bodies  of  the  slain,  has  since  been  called  "  Bloody 
Pond"  and  a  boulder  on  the  road-side  near  where  Wil 
liams  fell,  is  called  "  Williams'  Rock."  It  is  several  feet 
in  diameter,  nearly  round,  with  a  flat  top.  On  this  a  citi 
zen  of  Stockbridge, — a  son  of  Williams  College — engraved 
the  initials  of  his  name  and  the  date  of  his  death  during 
the  autumn  of  1852.  The  skull  (his  body  was  buried  near 
it,)  is  said  to  have  been  taken  away  by  a  gentleman  from 
Carolina  bearing  the  name  of  Williams,  some  years  since, 
probably  his  nephew,  who  was  a  great  antiquarian.  When 
Williams  fell,  Rev.  Stephen  Williams  of  Long  Meadow 
was  with  the  army  in  the  capacity  of  Chaplain,  William 
Williams,  afterwards  Signer  of  the  Declaration,  was  one  of 
his  Staff,  (both  kinsman,)  Thomas,  his  brother,  was  Sur 
geon,  and  Josiah  was  one  of  his  soldiers. 

Col.  Williams  was  a  large  portly  man,  agreeable  and  con 
ciliating  in  his  manners  to  an  unusual  degree,  cheerful  and 


146  STOCKBRIDGE,    PAST   AND    PRESENT  ; 

even  playful  in  his  disposition ;  and  being  also  intelligent, 
virtuous  and  of  a  large,  generous  heart,  he  was  universally 
beloved  and  respected.  In  the  new  Chapel  at  Williams 
College  the  Trustees  have  erected  a  tablet  on  which  is  the 
following  inscription  :  "  To  the  memory  of  the  gallant 
and  generous  Col.  Ephraim  Williams,  who  was  born  at 
Newton,  Middlesex  Co.,  Feb  24,  1714,  O.  S.,  lived  at 
Deerfield,  and  fell  in  an  ambuscade  of  French  and  Indians 
near  the  southern  extremity  of  Lake  George,  Sept.  8, 
1755,  in  the  42d  year  of  his  age.  Having  been  stationed 
at  Fort  Massachusetts,  in  what  is  now  the  township  of 
Adams,  he  left  in  his  Will  a  liberal  provision  for  a  Free 
School  in  Williamstown,  which  was  incorporated  in  1785. 
On  this  foundation,  in  1793,  arose  the  College  which  was 
called  after  his  name."  An  effort  is  now  making,  (1853,) 
by  the  alumni  of  the  College  to  erect  a  monument  to  Col. 
Williams  on  the  boulder  where  he  fell.  This  Will  \vas 
made  at  Albany,  July  22,  on  his  way  to  the  scene  of  his 
death,  and  the  bequest  was  in  accordance  with  a  promise 
made  to  the  inhabitants  during  his  residence  at  Fort  Mas 
sachusetts. 

Thomas  Williams  settled  at  Deerfield  as  a  physician 
about  1739,  having  been  graduated  at  Yale  in  1737,  the 
year  of  the  removal  of  the  family  to  Stockbridge.  His 
medical  studies  were  pursued  with  Dr.  Wheat  of  Boston. 
Of  course  he  was  not  much  in  Stockbridge,  though  we 
must  consider  him  as  properly  a  citizen  for  a  couple  of 
years.  His  wife  was  Ann,  sister  of  Dr.  T.  Childs  of  Pitts- 
field,  married  about  1740.  His  children  were: — 

First,  Elizabeth,  born  Aug.  28, 1741  who  married  Lem 
uel  Barnard  of  Sheffield. 

Second,  Anna,  born  Sept.  16,  1743,  wife  of  Elijah 
Dwight  Esq.  of  Barrington. 

Third,  Thomas,  born  May  5, 1746,  who  resided  in  Stock- 
bridge,  and  is  mentioned  in  Sec.  46th  of  this  work ; 

By  a  second  marriage  with  Miss  Esther  Williams, 
daughter  of  Rev.  William  Williams  of  Weston,  about 
1749,  his  first  wife  having  died  in  May,  1746. 

Fourth,  Cynthia,  born  Oct.  1,  1750,  wife  of  Hezekiah 
Leffingwell. 

Fifth,  Mary  Cooke,  born  Nov.  28,  1752,  wife  of  Elihu 
Ashley. 


OR,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.          147 

Sixth,  Martha,  born  Jan.  29,  1755,  wife  of  Dr.  Jeremiah 
West  of  Tolland,  brother  of  Rev.  Dr.  Stephen  West  of 
Stockbridge. 

Seventh,  Ephraim,  born  July  25,  1757,  who  died  in 
infancy. 

Eighth,  Esther,  born  Jan.  18,  1759, — ditto. 

Ninth,  Ephraim,  born  Nov.  19,  1760,  a  resident  of 
Stockbridge,  and  mentioned  in  Sec.  46th. 

Tenth,  William  Stoddard,  born  Oct.  11, 17  62,  a  physician. 

Eleventh,  Solomon,  born  Dec.  9,  1764. 

Twelfth,  Elijah,  born  Jan.  30,  1767,  died  June  9,  1815, 
in  Stockbridge. 

Thirteenth,  Stephen  West,  born  June  30,  1769,  who 
died  in  Stockbridge,  Jan.  20,  1790. 

Fourteenth,  Horace,  born  Sept.  2,  1771,  who  died  in 
infancy. 

Dr.  Williams  was  appointed  surgeon  in  the  army  raised 
for  the  Canada  Expedition,  1744,  and  again,  for  the  line 
of  forts  of  which  his  brother  had  the  command ;  and  he 
left  Fort  Massachusetts  by  permission  a  few  days  before 
the  destruction  of  that  post,  Aug.  20,  1746 ;  thus  escap 
ing  death  or  Indian  captivity.  On  his  way,  with  thirteen 
attendants,  he  passed  through  a  body  of  hostile  Indians 
who  lay  concealed  so  near  his  path  that  they  could  almost 
reach  them  with  their  guns,  yet  did  not  know  of  his  dan 
ger  until  afterwards  informed  of  it  by  one  of  the  party. 
He  reached  Deerfield  in  season  to  dress  the  wounds  of  his 
fellow  countrymen  after  "  Barr's  Fight"  in  that  town,  and, 
as  we  have  observed,  was  present  in  the  same  capacity 
when  his  brother  fell,  on  Monday,  Sept.  8,  1755.  The 
scene  of  that  day  he  describes  as  terrific.  The  engage 
ment  lasted  from  half  past  ten  A.  M.,  until  four  in  the  af 
ternoon  ;  the  Americans  fighting  bravely  in  the  camp,  and 
at  last  gaining  a  complete  victory,  and  taking  Dieskau 
prisoner,  with  wounds  dressed  by  Dr.  Williams,  but  which, 
in  1767,  proved  mortal.  So  fierce  was  the  conflict  that 
Dr.  Williams  speaks  of  the  bullets  flying  thickly  about 
his  tent,  and  at  times  penetrating  their  slight  covering, 
while  they  dressed  the  wounds  of  the  mangled  and  dying. 
Dr.  Williams  held  the  office  of  Lieutenant  Colonel  in 
one  of  the  regiments  at  Lake  George  in  1756,  and  died, 
Sept.  28,  1775. 

Elizabeth   Williams,  married   Rev.    Stephen  West  of 


148        STOCKBRIDGE,  PAST  AND  PRESENT  J 

Stockbridge,  probably  about  1750.  Her  character  is  thus 
given  by  Dr.  Hyde  of  Lee  in  her  funeral  sermon.  "  Mrs. 
West  possessing  naturally  a  discerning,  active  mind,  much 
improved  by  reading,  conversation,  and  reflection,  and 
having  an  affectionate  and  friendly  heart,  as  well  as  a 
great  share  of  wisdom  and  prudence,  was  enabled  to  fill 
with  unusual  dignity  the  important  place  in  society  to  which 
Providence  raised  her.  She  had  long  professed  friend 
ship  to  the  cause  of  Christ,  and  was  an  unshaken  and  able 
advocate  of  the  distinguishing  doctrines  of  the  Gospel. 
To  experimental  religion  she  never  appeared  to  make 
high  pretensions ;  yet  her  conversation  on  this  subject 
evidenced  a  great  acquaintance  with  her  own  heart,  and 
an  accurate  knowledge  of  the  Scriptural  marks  of  true  re 
ligion.  Her  long  life  was  filled  up  in  doing  good  as  she 
had  opportunity ;  and  to  those  whom  she  viewed  as  friends 
to  the  Lord  Jesus  she  was  very  prompt  in  giving  tokens  of 
her  approbation  and  friendship." 

Mrs.  West  was  the  warm  friend  of  the  Indian,  and  inti 
mate  in  her  associations  with  the  family  of  her  husband's 
predecessor ;  and  the  estimate  which  her  people  made  of 
her  worth  is  engraven  on  the  marble  erected  by  them 
above  her  grave.  She  died  Sept.  15, 1804,  at  the  age  of  73. 

Elijah,  known  as  Col.  Elijah  Williams,  married  Miss 
Sophia  Partridge  of  Hatfield.  In  1766  he  built  the  « Iron 
Works"  at  what  is  now  called  West  Stockbridge  Village, 
and  thus  commenced  the  settlement  of  that  part  of  the 
town.  Subsequently,  he  opened  the  Marble  Quarries 
which  have  become  so  widely  noted.  He  was  also  engaged 
as  a  proprietor  in  the  settlement  of  Lenox  and  Richmond  ; 
but  later  in  life  he  returned  to  Stockbridge,  and  died  in 
the  house  now  the  residence  of  Mr.  Thomas  Wells,  June 
9,  1815,  aged  82.  Mrs.  Williams  died  Oct.  25,  1830,  aged 
84,  leaving  one  son,  a  physician  at  the  South,  since  dead. 

JOSIAH   JONES    AND    FAMILY. 

When  the  mission  to  the  Stockbridge  Indians  was  estab 
lished,  a  few  families  of  piety  were  selected  to  accompany 
the  pastor  as  associates.  Among  these  was  the  family  of 
Deacon  Josiah  Jones.  Mr.  Jones'  father  (Josiah  Jones) 
emigrated  from  Berkshire,  England,  in  1665,  the  period 
of  the  last  dispersion  of  the  Puritans.  He  settled  in  that 


OH,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.  149 

part  of  "Watcrtown  which  was  afterwards  set  off  as  Wes- 
ton,  Mass.  Josiah  (the  son)  was  born  in  1701.  In  1724 
he  married  Miss  Anna  Brown.  They  had  fourteen  chil 
dren,  only  five  of  whom  lived  to  settle  as  heads  of  families. 
Josiah,  the  eldest,  born  in  Weston,  in  1725,  married  Miss 
Mabel  Woodbridge,  daughter  of  Joseph  Woodbridge,  who, 
with  his  family,  also  came  to  this  town  as  associates  of  the 
missionary.  Capt.  Jones  (as  he  was  usually  called) 
learned  the  Indian  language  and  was  long  remembered  by 
a  few  of  their  tribe.  They  always  spoke  of  him  as 
"  Good  man,  always  kind  to  Indian."  When  the  tribe 
left  Stockbridge,  they  presented  him,  as  a  token  of  their 
affection,  the  "  Old  Conch  Shell  "  which  had  always  been 
used  to  summon  them  to  their  place  of  worship,  and  also 
a  beautiful  belt  of  wampum.  This  belt  was  stolen  from 
him  by  the  Shays  men,  and  never  recovered. 

The  children  of  Josiah  and  Mabel  Jones  were — Solo 
mon,  born  1759 ;  Stephen  Woodbridge,  1761 ;  Clarissa, 
1763;  Elizabeth,  1765;  Josiah,  1767;  Horatio,  1769; 
Anna,  1772 ;  William,  1775,  and  Mary,  1778 ;  all  of 
whom  lived  to  the  age  of  forty,  and,  except  one,  had  fami 
lies.  The  "  Settle  Lot "  given  to  Mr.  Jones  was  the  same 
as  that  still  in  the  possession  of  the  family.  He  built, 
first,  a  log  house  upon  this  ground,  and  then  a  framed 
building,  after  his  death  used  as  a  work-house  by  the 
town.  His  son  Josiah  built  a  few  rods  from  this,  and  his 
son  Josiah  on  the  old  spot,  in  which  house  his  widow  now 
resides. 

Micah,  the  second  child  of  the  Mr.  Jones,  who  emi 
grated  to  Stockbridge  with  the  missionary,  was  born  Oct. 
4,  1728,  and  probably  died  very  young. 

Anna,  born  Feb.  4,  1730-1,  married  Oliver  Warner  of 
the  southwest  part  of  the  county,  and  died,  together  with 
her  husband  and  two  children,  soon  after  the  close  of  the 
Revolution. 

Keziah,  born  April  6,  1733,  married  Mr. — probably 
Timothy — Kellogg  of  Egremont,  and  left  descendants. 

Elijah,  born  Jan.  23,  1735-6,  died  very  young. 

Abigail,  born  Nov.  17,  1738,  was  married,  May  31,  to 
Josiah  Warren. 

Elijah,  born  in  1742,  married  Rhoda  Stoddard  of  L. 
South  Farms,  niece  to  his  step-mother.  He  enlisted  in 


150       STOCKBRIDGE,  PAST  AND  PRESENT  ; 

the  Revolutionary  army  as  orderly  sergeant,  with  a  com 
missary's  commission,  March,  1781,  took  the  small  pox, 
which  was  followed  by  the  consumption,  and  died  at  the 
house  of  the  clergyman  in  Dover,  N.  Y.,  April  6,  1782,  at 
the  age  of  40.  He  was  the  first  white  male  born  in 
Stockbridge ;  but  we  find  in  his  family  a  tradition  that 
previous  to  the  birth  of  any  white  child  in  this  town,  seve 
ral  children  of  Stockbridge  parents  were  born  in  the  towns 
from  which  the  mothers  had  emigrated ;  a  tradition  which 
satisfactorily  accounts  for  discrepancies  in  dates.  The 
children  of  Mr.  Jones  were  Anna,  born  1769;  James, 
1772;  Lewmond,  1773;  Rhoda,  1776;  Elijah,  1778; 
Alfred,  1780  ;  and  Mary,  1781.  Elijah  lived  until  late  in 
life  on  his  father's  farm,  and  in  his  house,  but  died  in  Cur- 
tisville,  in  1853.  The  other  brothers  who  lived  to  settle 
in  life,  removed,  like  several  of  the  sons  of  Capt.  Jones,  to 
the  Chenango  Purchase.  The  residence  of  Mr.  Jones  was 
near  the  pond,  Mah-kee-nac. 

JOHN    WILLARD'S  FAMILY. 

John  Willard  was  descended  from  Simon  Willard,  who 
married  the  grand  daughter  of  Lord  Darcey,  Earl  of 
Rivers,  and  came  early  from  Kent  to  New  England.  He 
removed  first  from  Wethersfield  to  Canaan,  and  from 
thence  to  Stockbridge,  previous  to  the  death  of  Mr.  Ser 
geant.  He  died  July  23,  1762,  aged  67,  and  Margaret, 
his  wife,  died  May  17, 1785,  aged  86.  The  residence  of 
the  family  was  that  since  owned  by  Mr.  H.  Goodrich, 
though  Mr.  Willard  at  one  time  bought  the  settle  lot  of 
Mr.  J.  Woodbridge.  Probably  they  exchanged  again 
soon  afterwards.  His  children  were — Elias,  who  settled 
in  Lenox ;  Benjamin,  who  settled  on  the  homestead,  mar 
ried  Naomi ,  and  died  Feb.  8,  1780,  aged  50.  His 

wife  died  May  8,  1817,  aged  78 ;  Joseph,  who  married 
and  settled  here,  and  died  March  19, 1777,  aged  37  ;  Anna, 
who  married  an  Allen  of  Barrington ;  Lydia,  who  mar 
ried  Esquire  Samuel  Brown,  and  Sylvia,  who  died 
unmarried. 

DAVID    PIXLEY. 

Came  from  TVestfield,  and  built  on  the  site  now  occu 
pied  by  Judge  Byington.  He  joined  the  expedition 


OR,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.         151 

against  Cape  Breton  in  1745,  and  it  is  said,  received  for 
his  services  a  township  west  of  the  Mississippi.  He  vis 
ited  with  his  son  Peter,  and  never  returned.  David,  junior, 
took  the  homestead.  Eunice,  a  daughter  of  David  Pixley, 
senior,  married  Deacon  David  Ingersoll.  His  other  child 
ren  were  Asa  and  Matilda.  His  wives,  Miss  Cooper  and 
the  Widow  Bliss  of  Boston. 

JOHN    TAYLOR. 

From  West  Springfield,  lived  first  on  the  hill,  but  after 
wards  built  the  house  in  South  street,  occupied  at  present 
by  Mr.  Timothy  Darby.  He  had  a  son,  Ephraim  Taylor, 
and  a  daughter,  Anna,  who  married  a  Partridge.  He  was 
also  here  when  Mr.  Sergeant  died. 

JACOB    COOPER,    BROTHER    OF    MRS.    PIXLEY, 

Came  from  West  Springfield,  and  married  Jemima 
Woodbridge.  They  are  still  called  "  Uncle  and  Aunt 
Cooper,"  and  were  universally  beloved.  Their  history  is 
given  in  that  of  the  family  of  Joseph  Woodbridge. 

STEPHEN    NASH    AND    FAMILY. 

The  great  grandfather  of  STEPHEN  NASH  was  Thomas 
Nash,  an  early  emigrant,  who  settled  in  New  Haven. 
Lieut.  Timothy  Nash,  his  son,  married  Rebecca,  daughter 
of  Rev.  Samuel  Stone,  the  associate  of  Mr  Hooker  in  the 
pastorate  of  the  colony  church  at  Hartford.  The  son  of 
Timothy,  and  father  of  Stephen,  was  Lieut.  John  Nash  of 
Hadley,  who  married  Elizabeth  Kellogg.  Stephen  was 
born  Sept.  20,  1704,  and  married  Elizabeth  Smith,  May 
22, 1728,  the  daughter  of  Deacon  John  Smith  of  Hadley, 
and  grand  daughter  of  Lieut.  Philip  Smith,  (believed,  in 
the  days  of  superstition,  to  have  been  persecuted  even 
unto  death  by  the  witches,  who  could  not  bear  his  upright 
conduct.)  He  was  the  son  of  Samuel  Smith,  the  emigrant. 
His  wife  was  Rebecca  Foote,  daughter  of  Nathaniel  Foote 
and  his  wife,  Elizabeth  Deming,  some  of  the  first  settlers 


152  STOCKBRIDGE,   PAST    AND    PRESENT; 

of  Wethersfield.*  Elizabeth  Smith  was  born  in  Hadley, 
Oct.  12,  1705.  Mr.  Nash  settled  in  Westfield  as  a  black 
smith,  but  came  to  Stockbridge  about  1752,  to  sit  under 
the  ministry  of  President  Edwards.  He  died  in  1764, 
and  his  wife  in  1790.  Their  children  were  : — 

Bathsheba,  born  July  30,  1729,  and  married  to  Ger- 
shom  Martindale  of  Lenox. 

Joanna,  born  Jan.  23,  1731,  and  married  to  John  Owen. 
She  was  the  mother  of  the  late  venerable  Mrs.  Elizabeth 
Dewey.  They  settled  in  Sheffield. 

Elizabeth,  born  July  10,  1733,  married  Gershom  Kel 
logg  of  Egremont. 

Phoebe,  born  July  13,  1735,  married  Esquire  Elijah 
Brown. 

Desire,  born  July  19,  1737,  died  unmarried. 

Stephen — Deacon  Nash,  born  Nov.  22,  1739,  married 
first,  Jemima  Kellogg,  who  died  Feb.  17,  1790,  and  second, 
March  13,  1791,  Mrs.  Mary  Dewey,  daughter  of  Deacon 
Elisha  Bradley.  He  died  Oct.  14,  1808,  and  his  second 
wife,  Feb.  9,  1837,  aged  78. 

Moses,  born  Sept.  7,  1741,  married  Anna,  daughter  of 
Dr.  Bliss  of  Boston.  She  was  the  daughter  of  the  second 
Mrs.  Pixley. 

Experience,  born  Nov.  3,  1744,  married  Oringh  Stod- 
dard  of  this  town ;  and  her  twin  sister, 

Mercy,  married  Edward  Martindale,  brother  to  Gershom 
Martindale. 

Rhoda,  born  Nov.  15,  1746,  married  Reuben  Sheldon  of 
Stockbridge,  July  18,  1771,  arid  died  after  the  birth  of  her 
only  child. 

ELIHU    PARSONS    AND    FAMILY. 

Elihu  Parsons  came  to  Stockbridge  from  Northampton, 
in  1752.  He  had  married  Sarah,  daughter  of  President 
Edwards,  June  11,  1750.  Their  children  were — Ebene- 
zer,  who  died  in  infancy ;  Esther,  born  May  29,  1752, 
died  1774;  Elihu,  born  Dec.  9,  1753,  and  married  to 
Lydia  Hinsdale,  the  grand  daughter  of  Mrs.  Joseph 

*  Nathaniel  Foote  is  still  famed  as  the  one  who  helped 
King  Charles  into  the  Oak.  The  arms  of  the  family  com 
memorate  the  event. 


OR,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD    MISSION    STATION.  153 

Woodbridge  and  her  first  husband,  and  the  first  white 
child  born  in  Lenox;  Eliphalet,  born  June  18,  175G; 
Lydia,  born  June  15,  1757,  and  married  to  Aaron  Inger- 
soll  of  Lee;  Lucretia,  born  Aug.  11,  1759,  and  married 
to  Mr.  Parsons  of  Goshen,  the  father  of  Mr.  Parsons,  the 
missionary;  Sarah,  born  Sept.  8,  1760,  and  married  to 
Deacon  David  Ingersoll  of  Lee ;  Lucy,  born  Oct.  14, 1762, 
and  married  to  Mr.  Ketchum  of  Victor,  N.  Y. ;  Jonathan 
and  Jerusha,  who  both  died  in  infancy  ;  and  Jerusha,  born 
June  1,  1766,  who  married  Ira  Seymour  of  Stockb ridge, 
and  is  still  living  in  Victor.  The  residence  of  the  family 
was  on  the  site  of  Mrs.  Ashburner's  house.  There  Mr. 
Parsons  died  Aug.  22,  1785,  at  the  age  of  66  ;  but  his 
wife  died  in  Goshen,  Mass.,  May  15, 1805,  at  the  age  of  76. 

MATHEW      CADWELL 

Was  born  in  Westfield,  and  came  here  unmarried  in 
1752.  He  afterwards  married  Miss  Sarah  Root  of  Great 
Barrington,  also  a  native  of  Westfield,  and  lived  in  the 
house  so  well  known  as  "  the  Aunt  Cooper  House,"  which 
stood  where  the  house  of  Mrs.  Wells  now  stands.  Subse 
quently,  he  removed  to  that  part  of  the  town  called  Lara- 
waugh,  in  memory  of  Lawrence  Lynch,  the  Irish  boy  who 
fled  with  Mrs.  Dwight  in  1755,  and  who  was  one  of  the 
first  to  settle  west  of  Deacon  Brown's.  Mr.  Cadwell  was 
a  shoemaker  by  trade.  His  children  were  Abel,  born 
Jan.  5,  1762 ;  Mathew,  Sarah,  Nehushta,  Jeremiah,  Levi, 
Louis,  and  David, — the  last  named  still  living.  Mr.  Cad- 
well  died  Jan.  27,  1811,  aged  79,  and  Mrs*  Cadwell  July, 
28,  1806. 

MR.    LAWRENCE    LYNCH 

Married  Dorcas ,  and  died  Nov.  5,  1815,  aged  80. 

Has  wife  died  May  12,  1799,  aged  60.  The  late  Mr. 
Moses  Lynch  is  their  son.  He  married  Miss  L.  Cadwell. 

In  the  east  part  of  the  town,  Mr.  Cooper  was  called  the 
first  inhabitant,  yet  his  residence  was  beyond  the  Lenox 
line.  A  gentleman  called  one  day  at  his  door  to  ask  for 
water.  "You  are  greatly  blessed,"  said  he  to  Mrs. 
Cooper,  "  for  all  the  world  are  praying  for  you."  "  And 


154        STOCKBRIDGE,  PAST  AND  PRESENT; 

how  can  that  be  ?"  "  Why,"  he  answered,  "  I  never  heard 
a  prayer  in  which  those  in  the  ends  of  the  earth  were  not 
particularly  remembered ;  and  I  am  sure  you  are  the  per 
sons."  In  1755  they  removed  nearer  to  the  center  of  the 
world,  through  fear  of  the  Indians. 

After  them,  a  family  by  the  name  of  Galpin,  and  some 
others,  settled  there ;  but  they  have  long  been  gone  from 
town.  Of  the  present  inhabitants,  the  families  of  Bradley 
and  Williams  were  first ;  Deacon  Elisha  Bradley  came  in 
1773,  and  Capt.  Daniel  Williams  about  the  same  time.  In 
Curtisville,  Deacon  Elnathan  Curtis  and  Mr.  Churchill, 
from  Woodbury,  Ct.,  were  among  the  first  settlers,  and 
were  earlier  inhabitants  of  Stockbridge  than  Deacon 
Bradley  and  Capt.  Williams.  Joseph  Barnard,  son  of 
Mrs.  J.  Woodbridge  was  here  in  active  life  in  1754,  but 
afterwards  removed.  Mr.  Stoddard  and  James  Wilson 
are  mentioned  in  1758 ;  Ezra  Whittlesey  in  1762. 


SECTION    XXIX. 


PRESIDENT    EDWARDS    AND    WIFE. 

REV.  JONATHAN  EDWARDS,  born  in  East  Windsor,  Ct., 
Oct.  5,  1703,  was  the  son  of  Rev.  Timothy  Edwards,  a 
gentleman  of  Welsh  descent.  It  has  been  shown  that  the 
Church  of  Stockbridge  was  not  only  a  missionary  church, 
but  that  its  early  English  members  were  of  Puritan  origin. 
And  it  has  been  blessed  with  pastors  of  the  same  holy 
stock. 

The  great  grandfather  of  Timothy  Edwards  was  Rev. 
Richard  Edwards  of  London,  whose  widow  married  a  Mr. 
James  Coles,  and  emigrated  to  Hartford.  Her  name  was 

Anne.  Her  son,  William  Edwards  married  Agnes , 

sister  to  the  mayors  of  Exeter  and  Barnstable,  England. 
His  son,  Richard,  married  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  William 
and  Elizabeth  Tuthill  from  Northamptonshire,  and  was  the 
father  of  Timothy.  The  mother  of  Jonathan  Edwards 
was  Esther,  daughter  of  Rev.  Solomon  Stoddard  of  North 
ampton,  and  his  wife,  Mrs.  Esther  Mather,  daughter  of 


OR,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.  155 

Rev.  Joseph  Warham  of  Windsor.  The  mother  of  Mr. 
Stoddard  was  Mary  Downing,  daughter  of  Anthony  Down 
ing,  who  came  from  the  west  of  England,  and  sister  of 
Sir  George  Downing. 

But  it  may  be  objected,  that  not  one  passenger  of  the 
May  Flower  has  been  mentioned  in  all  the  pedigrees 
which  have  been  given,  unless  we  except  Elizabeth  Til- 
ley,  an  ancestress  of  Mrs.  Joseph  Woodbridge.  Many 
confound  the  Plymouth  Pilgrims  with  the  Puritans ; 
whereas,  they  were  a  perfectly  distinct  religious  body. 
By  the  Puritans,  the  Plymouth  adventurers  were  consid 
ered  as  ultraists,  though  very  excusable  ones.  They  did 
not  believe  the  Church  of  England  to  be  the  Church  of 
Christ ;  and  as  they  set  sail  for  the  New  World,  bid  "  fare 
well  to  Babylon,  farewell  to  Rome."  The  Puritans,  on 
the  contrary,  were  members  of  that  Church,  and  sought 
its  purity,  until  some  of  its  sons,  dishonoring  their  mother, 
as  they  believed,  ejected  them,  and  compelled  them  to  seek 
shelter  in  the  wilderness,  already  broken  by  the  Pilgrims. 
As  they  left  England,  they  implored  the  prayers  of  the 
established  church,  and  bid  "  farewell  to  dear  England ; 
farewell  to  the  Church  of  God  in  England ;  and  to  all  the 
Christian  friends  there."  It  is  from  this  body  of  Chris 
tians,  separate  in  organization,  yet  holding  fellowship  in 
spirit  with  all  true  believers,  that  the  materials  have  been 
drawn  for  the  building  of  the  Stockbridge  Church. 

To  return  then  from  this  digression.  Jonathan  Edwards 
commenced  the  study  of  Latin  at  the  age  of  six,  and 
entered  Yale  College  before  he  was  thirteen  years  of  age. 
He  received  the  degree  of  bachelor  at  sixteen,  and  after 
two  years  of  further  study  at  the  same  institution,  was 
licensed  to  preach  the  Gospel.  His  first  settlement  was 
with  his  grandfather  at  Northampton,  Feb.  15,  1727,  hav 
ing  held  the  office  of  tutor  at  Yale  from  the  Spring  of 
1724,  until  the  time  of  his  call,  Sept.  1726.  For  several 
years  he  was  much  beloved ;  and  after  the  death  of  Mr. 
Stoddard  in  1729,  he  had  the  sole  charge  of  the  flock. — 
But  he  soon  felt  that  the  plan  of  admission  to  the  church 
then  in  general  practice  was  injurious  to  its  prosperity, 
and  boldly  avowed  his  dissent  whenever  called  upon  to  do 
so.  At  first  this  gave  no  offense ;  but  when  a  personal 
dislike  was  felt,  some  time  afterward,  the  innovation  upon 


156  STOCKBEIDGE,   PAST  AND    PRESENT  : 

established  customs  was  violently  opposed,  and  Jan.   22, 

1750,  he  was  dismissed. 

After  the  death  of  Mr.  Sergeant,  both  the  whites  and 
Indians  had  united  in  calling  Rev.  Dr.  Hopkins  of  Great 
Barrington  to  become  their  pastor.  Dr.  Hopkins,  besides 
feeling  himself  incompetent,  as  he  tells  us,  wished  to 
secure  the  place  for  Mr.  Edwards,  with  whom  he  had 
studied,  and  proposed  him  as  a  candidate,  "  recommending 
him  in  the  highest  terms."  He  also  wrote  to  the  Commis 
sioners  upon  the  subject ;  and  the  result  was,  that  a  call 
was  sent  him  early  in  the  same  year,  1750,  both  from 
Stockb ridge,  and  from  Boston.  January,  1751,  he  came, 
spent  the  winter  here,  and  accepted  the  call  soon  after  his 
return.  Again  he  came  to  Stockbridge  the  third  week  in 
in  June,  returned  the  last  of  July,  and,  the  first  week  in 
August,  brought  his  family.  He  was  installed  Aug.  9, 

1751.  He  purchased  the  house  which  had  been  built  by 
Mr.  Sergeant  in  the  village,  and  added  a  back  part  to  it  of 
one  story.     He    did  not  immediately  sell    his  house    in 
Northampton  ;  and  as  he  bought  other  land,  he  became 
for  a  time  much  involved.     In  January,  1752,  he  speaks 
of  great  peace  in  outward  circumstances,  but  as  being  in 
debt  £2,000 ;  probably  old  tenor,  which  was  then  but  one 
half  the  sterling  value.     He  received  his  salary  as  mis 
sionary,  from    London,   and    from  the    Legislature.     As 
pastor,  he   received  £6  13s  4d,  from  the  whites,  besides 
forty  shillings  for  wood;  no  doubt,  sterling   value.     He 
did  not  attempt  to  learn  the  Indian  language,  believing  it 
better  for    the  Indians  to  learn   English.     In    1753,  he 
speaks  of  a  revival  among  the  Indians.     But  his  church 
records  have  not  been  found,  and    nothing  is  known   of 
admissions  to  the  communion.     None  were  ever  admitted 
upon  the  half-way-covenant  plan  after  his  settlement. 

In  August,  1752,  he  commenced  his  treatise  on  the 
"  Freedom  of  the  Will,"  accomplished  little  until  Decem 
ber,  but  completed  it  before  April,  1753.  In  July,  1754, 
he  was  seized  with  the  fever  and  ague,  and  was  not  able 
to  throw  off  the  chills  until  January,  1755.  He  had  taken 
charge  of  two  Indian  boys ;  but  was  too  much  prostrated 
to  discharge  his  ordinary  duties.  In  the  Spring  of  1755, 
he  commenced  the  two  works — "  God's  End  in  Creation," 
and  "  The  Nature  of  Virtue."  About  the  same  time  he 


OR,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.         157 

sent  his  son  Jonathan  to  Onohquaga,  to  live  with  Mr.  Haw- 
ley  and  learn  the  Indian  language,  having  designed  him 
for  a  missionary ;  but  the  French  War  drove  them  from 
the  field  before  he  had  been  there  a  twelvemonth,  and  both 
returned  to  Stockb ridge.  In  May,  1756,  the  town  was 
felt  to  be  in  such  danger  that  Mr.  Edwards  and  family- 
were  invited  to  take  shelter  with  Dr.  Bellamy  of  Bethle 
hem  ;  but  he  seems  not  to  have  forsaken  his  flock.  As 
has  been  before  observed,  the  house  previously  occupied 
by  Col.  Ephraim  Williams  was  garrisoned  during  this  war. 
The  soldiers  were  quartered  upon  the  inhabitants  for  food, 
and  Mr.  Edwards  speaks  of  four  as  his  quota.  Two  of 
these  were  Captains  Hosmer  and  Stebbins.  During  the 
summer  of  1755,  the  soldiers  stationed  here  were  from 
Connecticut.  But  in  September  of  that  year  they  had 
been  withdrawn;  •  and,  as  nearly  every  Indian  capable  of 
bearing  arms  had  been  urged  into  the  service  by  Governor 
Shirley,  besides  the  whites,  upon  the  promise  of  an  army 
of  defence  being  stationed  here,  Mr.  Edwards  wrote  to 
Colonel  Israel  Williams  for  relief. 

In  May,  1757,  he  wrote  the  Preface  to  the  work  on 
"  Original  Sin ;"  and  he  had  commenced  that  on  the  "  Har 
mony  of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments,"  and  had  in  con 
templation  the  preparation  for  the  press  of  his  sermons  en 
titled  "  The  History  of  Redemption,"  when  his  son-in-law, 
President  Burr,  died,  September  24,  1757,  and  he  was 
urged  to  become  his  successor.  He  had  previously  de 
clined  this  office,  and  now  with  great  reluctance,  he  assent 
ed,  provided  a  Council,  after  hearing  all  his  reasons,  should 
decide  upon  a  removal.  January  4,  1758,  the  Council  met. 
Dr.  Hopkins  was  one  of  the  number,  and  the  Trustees  of 
the  College  seem  to  have  sent  a  delegation.  The  objec 
tions  of  both  pastor  and  people  were  listened  to,  and  after 
deliberation,  the  Council  brought  in  their  decision,  that  the 
cause  of  Christ  called  more  loudly  for  the  labors  of  Mr. 
Edwards  at  Princeton  than  at  Stockbridge.  Mr.  Edwards 
always  controlled  his  feelings  in  public ;  but  at  this  an 
nouncement,  he  covered  his  face  with  his  hands,  and  yield 
ed  to  the  relief  of  tears. 

And  now  that  we  have  come  to  the  period  when  his  la 
bors  as  a  Pastor  were  legally  closed,  we  will  run  over  his 
pastoral  life,  and  pick  up  the  threads  of  family  history 
8 


158  STOCKBRIDGE,  PAST    AND  PRESENT  ; 

which  have  been  dropped  ;  for  Mr.  Edwards  was  a  husband 
and  a  father,  as  well  as  a  divine.  July  28,  1727,  Mr.  Ed 
wards  married  Miss  Sarah  Pierrepont,  daughter  of  Rev. 
James  Pierrepont  of  New  Haven,  and  grand-daughter  of 
John  Pierrepont  of  Roxbury.  Mrs.  Pierrepont  was  the 
daughter  of  Rev.  Samuel  Hooker  of  Farmington,  and 
grand-daughter  of  Rev.  Thomas  Hooker,  the  distinguished 
founder  of  Hartford.  Her  Christian  name  was  Mary.  The 
Pierrepont  family  were  a  branch  of  the  family  of  the  Duke 
of  Kingston,  Pierrepont  being  the  family  name  ;  and  Mrs. 
Edwards  was  cousin  to  Mary  Pierrepont  —  Lady  Mary 
Wortley  Montague — and  20  years  younger.  She  was  born 
January  9,  1710  ;  and  grafted,  on  an  unusual  stock  of  com 
mon  sense,  a  highly  finished  education.  At  an  early  age 
she  was  distinguished  for  her  intimate  acquaintance  with 
the  ancient  classics.  She  was  very  beautiful  too ;  but  her 
richest  grace  was  an  early,  deep,  fervent,  and  constant  piety. 
At  times  she  seemed  almost  rapt  in  visions  of  the  unseen 
world,  carried  beyond  what  nature  could  long  endure ; 
but  these  seasons  did  not  leave  her  in  a  state  of  stupid 
re-action.  On  the  contrary,  she  returned  from  the  flight 
with  wings  as  silver,  and  feathers  as  of  yellow  gold.  Says 
her  husband  in  after  life,  speaking  of  her  even  piety — "  For 
a  long  season  no  cloud  would  interrupt  her  joy,  or  hope. 
All  tears  would  be  wiped  away,  all  sorrows  forgotten,  save 
the  sorrow  for  sin ;  and,  living  only  to  the  glory  of  God, 
she  would  receive  frequent,  plain,  sensible,  and  immediate 
answers  to  her  prayers,  which  indicated  a  close  and  vital 
union  between  her  soul  and  her  God,  a  constant  intercom 
munion  with  him,  seldom  enjoyed  on  earth."  In  short,  Mr. 
Edwards  and  his  wife  were  kindred  spirits ;  and  they  knew 
it,  and  enjoyed  the  advantages  of  such  a  similarity.  The 
student  was  not  a  recluse,  scarcely  recognizing  his  own 
family ;  but  as  iron  sharpeneth  iron,  so  these  companions 
sharpened  the  piety  of  each  other.  The  study  of  Mr.  Ed 
wards,  while  in  Stockbridge,  was  at  the  west  end  of  his 
house,  opening  from  the  west  parlor ;  a  little  nook.  Once 
or  twice  during  each  day  he  called  in  his  wife  for  prayer  ; 
here  they  always  united  in  devotion  after  the  family  had 
retired  at  night ;  and  her  visits  for  social  interchange  of 
thought  were  very  frequent.  His  evenings  were  spent 
with  his  family  in  conversation  upon  the  usual  topics  of  the 


OR,  RECORDS  OP  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.  159 

day ;  but  always  upon  religion  at  the  last.  On  Saturday, 
all  labor  was  closed  before  the  setting  of  the  sun ;  and  the 
Sabbath  was  heralded  in  by  a  hymn  of  praise,  and  prayer. 

Still,  President  Edwards  was  a  close  student  during  his 
hours  of  study ;  and  he  never  rode  to  the  woods,  his  daily 
exercise  in  summer,  without  taking  his  pen  with  him  to 
note  down  any  happy  thought  which  occurred ;  and  in  the 
night  a  pin  was  often  stuck  in  his  curtain  to  recall  some 
idea  in  the  morning.  In  the  winter  he  cut  wood  half  an 
hour  or  more,  each  day,  for  exercise.  Usually  he  devoted 
thirteen  hours  of  the  twenty-four  to  study.  During 
the  afternoon  he  felt  exhausted,  and  took  a  cup  of  strong 
tea,  the  same  leaves  being  again  used  by  his  prudent  wife 
for  the  evening  meal.  His  own  meals  were  finished  be 
fore  those  of  his  family ;  and  he  would  retire  to  his  study 
and  save  the  few  minutes  before  he  was  recalled  to  say 
grace.  To  the  government  of  his  children  he  was  very 
attentive ;  but  the  temporal  concerns  of  his  household  were 
left  entirely  to  his  wife.  He  knew  his  books,  and  his  fam 
ily,  but  never  visited  his  people  except  in  sickness,  and  did 
not  know  his  own  cattle.  But  he  had  not  a  happy  talent 
at  conversation,  unless  removed  from  all  restraints,  and 
consciously  in  the  presence  of  true  friends  only.  He 
seemed  to  be  created  expressly  for  the  work  which  he  ac 
complished,  that  of  preacher  and  author. 

The  people  of  Stockbridge  were  generally  united  in  Mr. 
Edwards,  and  much  attached  to  him.  When  he  rose  in  the 
pulpit,  they  expected  a  treat,  not  of  oratory,  but  of  truth ; 
and  though  his  sermons  were  long,  very  long  indeed,  and 
he  held  his  notes  in  one  hand,  resting  his  elbow  on  the 
desk,  and  seldom  raised  the  other  hand,  except  to  turn  over 
his  leaves,  yet  the  congregation  looked  astonished  and  dis 
appointed  at  the  close,  that  the  discourse  had  been  no  longer. 
The  last  Sabbath  which  he  spent  in  Stockbridge,  President 
Edwards  read  the  20th  chapter  of  Acts,  so  touchingly  ap 
propriate,  and  preached  from  the  text — "  We  have  here  no 
continuing  city,  &e."  When  the  day  of  his  departure  ar 
rived,  he  made  himself  ready,  took  leave  of  his  family,  and 
stepped  into  the  yard.  Then  turning  back  he  said,  "  / 
commend  you  to  God" and  left.  These  were  his  last  words 
to  them. 

In  February  he   was  inaugurated,  and  entered    upon 


160      STOCKBKIDGE,  PAST  AND  PRESENT  : 

some  of  the  duties  of  his  office.  But  the  Small  Pox  was 
prevailing  in  Princeton ;  and  on  the  loth  of  that  month 
he  was  inoculated.  At  first,  all  seemed  well ;  but  some  of 
the  pustules  being  in  the  throat,  he  was  unable  to  swallow 
the  needful  medicines,  and,  as  it  was  expressed,  "  Jesus 
permitted  him  to  fall  asleep  on  the  22d  of  March,  1758." 

When  the  news  reached  Stockbridge,  Mrs.  Edwards  was 
in  feeble  health ;  but  she  bore  it  calmly,  though  deeply  af 
flicted,  and  fully  recovered.  Mrs.  Burr  was  inoculated 
at  the  same  time  with  her  father,  and  recovered.  But 
April  27th  she  died,  seemingly  without  any  disease.  Her 
physician  said  he  could  only  say  that  "  a  messenger  was 
sent  to  call  her  home."  In  September  Mrs.  Edwards  went 
to  Philadelphia  to  bring  Sarah  and  Aaron  Burr  to  Stock- 
bridge.  She  passed  through  Princeton  in  perfect  health  ; 
but  on  reaching  Philadelphia,  was  taken  ill,  and  died  on 
the  2d  of  October.  Her  remains  were  taken  to  Princeton 
where  they  rest  with  those  of  her  husband,  and  of  Presi 
dent  and  Mrs.  Burr.  She  was  58  years  of  age. 

The  children  of  President  Edwards  were  all  born  in 
Northampton. 

Sarah,  Mrs.  Parsons,  was  born  Aug.  25,  1728,  on  the 
Sabbath. 

Jerusha,  born  April  26,  1730.  She  was  expected  to 
have  married  Brainerd  the  missionary ;  but  they  both  died 
in  1747. 

Esther,  Mrs.  Burr,  a  woman  of  great  piety,  born  Sab 
bath,  Feb.  13,  1732,  married  in  Stockbridge,  June  9,  1752. 

Mary,  born  Sabbath,  April  7th  1734, — the  mother  of 
President  Dwight. 

Lucy,  born  Tuesday,  Aug.  31,  1736, — was  with  her 
father  at  the  time  of  his  death,  and  afterwards  married 
Jahleel  Woodbridge. 

Timothy,  born  Tuesday,  July  25,  1738,  married  in  1760, 
and  made  a  home  in  Elizabeth  Town  for  the  family. 

Susannah,  born  Friday,  June  20,  1740, — Mrs.  Porter 
of  Hadley. 

Eunice,  born  Monday,  May  9,  1743, — Mrs.  Pollock  of 
Carolina. 

Jonathan,  born  May  26,  1745,  Sabbath,  President  of 
Union  College. 

Elizabeth,  born  "Wednesday,  May  6,  1747,  died  at 
Northampton,  1762. 


OR,  RECORDS  OP  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.        161 

Pierrepont,  born  Sabbath,  April  8,  1750,  died  at  Bridge 
port  April  14,  1826. 

The  children  of  Mrs.  Burr  were  taken  by  Timothy  Ed 
wards,  Esq.  who  returned  to  Stockbridge  in  1771.  In 
1775,  Aaron  was  in  Cambridge  College,  and  from  there 
joined  the  American  Army  and  went  with  Arnold  to  Que 
bec.  He  is  said  to  have  lived  in  Stockbridge.  He  was, 
in  the  family  of  his  uncle,  an  inhabitant  of  this  place  for  a 
few  years,  but  was  little  at  home,  and  obtained  none  of  his 
training  here.  We  do  not  claim  him  as  a  Stockbridge 
Man  and  are  happy  not  to  do  so ;  but  it  is  pleasure  to 
know  that  the  child  of  such  consecration  showed  signs  of 
relenting  at  the  close  of  his  sinful  career. 

That  part  of  the  house  which  President  Edwards  built 
has  been  taken  down,  and  another  erected  in  its  stead. 
His  couch  was  burned  with  the  house  of  Rev.  Dr.  Field 
during  his  ministry  among  us ;  but  his  cherry  book-case, 
with  its  sliding  doors  of  the  same  material,  his  leaf  chair, 
an  article  much  used  in  those  days,  and  his  consulting 
desk,  which  is  either  hexagonal  or  octagonal,  and  turns  on 
a  pivot,  may  still  be  seen  in  the  house  of  Mrs.  Cowles  of 
Canaan,  Ct. 


SECTION  XXX. 


SUCCESSOR  OF  PRESIDENT    EDWARDS — DR.  STEPHEN  WEST. 

At  the  request  of  both  Whites  and  Indians,  the  Council 
which  met  to  dismiss  President  Edwards  presented  a  re 
quest  to  the  Commissioners  that  they  would  "  call"  Rev. 
John  Brainerd,  the  much  loved  brother  of  David  Brain- 
erd  to  fill  his  place.  The  Trustees  of  the  College  of  which 
he  was  one,  were  also  requested  to  use  their  influence  with 
Mr.  Brainerd  and  his  flock,  to  induce  them  to  remove. 
Mr.  Brainerd  was,  in  1753,  pastor  of  the  Indian  congrega 
tion  in  Bethel,  New  Jersey,  and  had  at  this  time  his  con 
gregation  in  Cranbury,  in  the  same  State.  They  were 
considered  the  most  virtuous,  and  religious  collection  of 
Indians  in  the  country,  being  the  same  which  was  taught 


162  STOCKBRIDGE,  PAST  AND  PRESENT  \ 

by  his  brother.  The  Stockbridge  Indians  offered  them 
land  for  a  settlement  if  they  would  consent  to  remove  with 
their  pastor.  About  that  time,  he  was  succeeded  at  Cran- 
bury  by  William  Tenant,  and  removed  to  Great  Egg  Har 
bor,  from  which  place  he  removed  to  Brotherton,  N.  J. 
But  his  reply  to  Stockbridge  is  not  known. 

At  a  Precinct  Meeting  in  Feb.  1858,  the  Town  voted 
to  pay  Mr.  Stoddard,  who  was  then  preaching  here,  the 
same  salary  which  had  been  paid  to  President  Edwards, 
in  proportion  to  the  time  which  he  should  remain.  There 
seems  to  have  been  no  wish  to  retain  him  longer  than  till 
another  could  be  found ;  but  for  what  reason  does  not  ap 
pear. 

Jan.  1759,  it  was  voted  to  pay  Rev.  Stephen  West  an 
annual  salary  of  £6  13s  4d,  and  40  loads  of  wood  delivered 
at  his  door,  besides  £40  settlement,  lawful  money,  pro 
vided  he  remained  as  pastor.  To  this  offer  he  assented, 
and  was  set  over  the  people  by  the  ceremony  of  ordination, 
June  13,  1759,  having  been  "  introduced  to  the  town  in 
November  of  1758." 

Mr.  West  was  descended  from  Francis  West,  who  emi 
grated  from  Salisbury,  England,  to  Duxbury,  by  invita 
tion,  in  the  very  early  days  of  the  Colony,  and  married 
Margery  Reeves.  Samuel,  their  eldest  son  married  Tri- 
phosa  Partridge,  and  was  the  father  of  Francis,  who  married 
Mercy  Mina,  and  with  his  son,  Judge  Zebulon  West,  was 
among  the  early  settlers  of  Tolland,  Conn.  Zebulon  was 
the  father  of  Stephen.  His  mother  was  Mary  Delano,  of 
Dartmouth,  Mass.  He  was  born  in  Tolland,  Nov.  2,  1735 ; 
graduated  at  Yale  College  in  1755,  studied  Theology  at 
Hatfield  with  Mr.  Woodbridge,  teaching  school  at  the 
same  time ;  was  licensed  by  the  Hampshire  Association, 
it  is  supposed  near  the  close  of  1757,  or  the  beginning  of 
1758,  and  was  soon  after  stationed  at  Fort  Massachusetts 
in  this  County,  as  Chaplain.  There  he  could  have 
remained  but  a  few  months. 

Soon  after  his  settlement,  he  married  Miss  Elizabeth 
Williams,  daughter  of  the  late  Col.  Ephraim  Williams ; 
and  commenced  house  keeping  in  the  dwelling  erected  by 
that  gentleman,  and  used  during  the  war  as  a  Fort. 

When  settled,  Mr.  West  was  Arminian  in  his  sentiments, 
and  perhaps  favored  the  Stoddardean  views.  But  the 


OR,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.  163 

church  were  known  to  be  established  in  the  opposite  doc 
trine,  from  the  fact  of  their  settling,  and  retaining  Presi 
dent  Edwards,  even  while  he  was  still,  through  the  press, 
carrying  on  the  controversy  with  Mr.  Williams  of  Leba 
non  ;  and  Dr.  West  went  forward  in  the  course  since  pur 
sued.  There  were  at  that  time  but  four  settled  pastors, 
besides  himself,  within  the  present  limits  of  the  County, 
viz.  Rev.  Jonathan  Hubbard  of  Sheffield;  Rev.  Thomas 
Strong  of  New  Marlborough ;  Rev.  Adonijah  Bidwell  of 
Tyringham,  and  Rev.  Samuel  Hopkins  of  Barrington. 
With  Dr.  Hopkins  he  soon  formed  an  intimacy.  Their 
sentiments  were  unlike,  but  both  loved  discussion  ;  and  the 
result  of  their  discussions  was  a  change  of  Mr.  West's 
views,  from  Arminian,  to  the  extreme  of  Calvinism.  Be 
lieving  that  some  would  be  lost,  he  reasoned  that  hence  it 
was  for  the  glory  of  God,  and  should  be  fully  acquiesced  in 
by  his  saints ;  and,  if  they  were  walling  that  any  should 
perish,  to  be  disinterested,  they  must  be  willing,  them 
selves  to  be  lost  ones,  and  forever  hate,  and  blaspheme 
their  rightful  sovereign  and  Savior,  because  he  would  thus 
be  most  glorified.  Reasoning,  not  without  plausibility, 
until  we  reach  the  result,  and  confront  it  with  such  Scrip 
tures  as — "  He  is  not  willing  that  any  should  perish  ; "  "  As 
I  live,  I  have  no  pleasure  in  the  death  of  him  that  dieth, 
&c."  "  Herein  is  my  Father  glorified,  that  ye  bear  much 
fruit."  But  in  the  case  of  Mr.  West,  the  change  was  for 
good,  and  resulted,  as  he  ever  after  believed,  in  his  true 
conversion  ;  not  however  until  after  a  long  season  of  con 
flict.  The  first  person  in  his  parish  who  noticed  the 
change,  was  Mrs.  Churchill.  She  was  a  very  pious  wo 
man  ;  and  on  returning  from  church  the  Sabbath  after  it 
took  place,  remarked  that  Mr.  West  was  a  new  man. 
From  this  time  must  be  dated  his  Christian  character. 
Doubtless  he  was  exact,  and  systematic  in  many  things  be 
fore,  but  now  his  system  was  sanctified. 

Dr.  West  w^as  peculiarly  methodical.  To  commence 
with  the  Sabbath ; — His  shoes  were  always  brushed,  and  oth 
er  personal  preparations  for  the  day  of  rest  completed  before 
the  setting  of  the  sun  on  the  previous  day,  and  Saturday 
night  was  really  kept.  On  the  Sabbath,  no  one  was  al 
lowed  to  stroll  in  the  street,  fields,  or  even  in  the  garden, 
over  whom  he  had  any  control.  His  sermons  were  not 


164  STOCKBRIDGE,   PAST   AND   PRESENT; 

extempore,  but  only  the  leading  ideas  were  noted  clown. 
One  sermon  would  cover  one  quarter  of  a  sheet  of  paper, 
and  he  always  kept  two  or  more  on  hand.  His  hours  for 
close  study  were  in  the  morning,  between  breakfast  and  elev 
en  o'clock:  then  he  wished  to  be  by  himself.  The  remainder 
of  the  day  he  often  spent  in  his  parlor ;  (generally  so,  un 
til  the  latter  part  of  his  life,  when  Mrs.  West  sat  in  the 
study,)  and  even  children  who  might  be  at  his  house,  ran 
in  and  out  at  pleasure,  without  fear  or  restraint.  Few 
students  who  have  never  been  fathers,  preserve  a  mind  so- 
free  in  old  age,  to  enjoy,  and  enter  into  the  feelings  of 
childhood.  He  was  not  gay ;  but  always  mild,  kind,  and 
affectionate ;  so  that  while  there  was  an  unwillingness  to 
displease  him,  there  was  no  fear  of  offending.  It  is  the 
testimony  of  an  adopted  daughter,  that  during  the  whole 
of  her  residence  in  his  family,  she  never  for  once  saw  his 
temper  in  the  slightest  degree  ruffled :  and  his  colleague, 
who  spent  several  years  in  his  family,  when  too  he  was  in 
the  decline  of  life,  says  that  he  never  saw  him  offended 
except  in  one  instance  ;  and  then  he  quickly  repented,  and 
went  to  the  kitchen  to  confess  his  fault,  and  ask  forgive 
ness  of  the  domestic  whom  he  had  sharply  rebuked.  His 
even  habits  had  their  foundation  in  an  even  temper. 

When  dressed  in  the  morning,  he  always  retired  for  pri 
vate  devotion.  For  breakfast  he  always  ate  a  piece  of 
toast  of  the  same  size,  and  drank  two  and  one-half  cups  of 
coffee.  With  his  tea,  he  ate  a  little  bread,  but  no  delica 
cies  ;  and  then,  about  seven  in  the  evening,  directed  his 
housekeeper  to  cook  for  him  a  bit  of  meat,  measuring  the 
size  on  his  finger.  Occasionally  she  would  cook  a  little 
more,  sure  of  having  it  herself,  for  he  never  overstepped 
his  prescribed  limits.  After  this  meal,  he  again  retired  for 
devotion ;  and  after  his  second  evening  pipe,  summoned 
the  family  for  domestic  worship,  and  retired  for  the  night, 
expecting  his  household  to  do  the  same.  This,  if  he  was 
not  particularly  fatigued  :  but  when  weary  from  any 
cause,  he  wished  to  sit  up  and  rest  himself,  after  the 
house  was  quiet  for  the  night. 

His  boots  and  shoes  stood  in  the  same  place  from  year, 
to  year,  and  his  hat,  whip,  and  overcoat,  were  always 
hung  on  the  same  nails.  If  about  to  undertake  a  journey, 
his  hat  and  whip  were  taken  down  the  night  before  start- 


OR,  RECORDS  OP  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.         165 

ing,  and  laid  upon  the  table.  As  he  never  traveled  in 
public  conveyances  he  laid  his  plans  for  each  day ;  and 
Miss  Strong  of  Hartford  once  told  him,  that  she  be 
lieved  tlie  elements  were  subject  to  him,  for  his  plans  were 
always  accomplished.  It  was  often  remarked,  that  his 
wife  knew  as  well  when  to  have  his  tea  ready  if  he  was 
to  return  from  Newport,  as  if  he  had  only  gone  to  the  vil 
lage.  He  would  never  return  on  Saturday  if  it  could  be 
avoided ;  and  never,  once  excepted,  rode  on  the  Sabbath 
in  making  his  exchanges.  Once  the  preservation  of  health 
required  that  he  should  not  spend  a  second  night  where 
he  could  not  sleep ;  a  measure  to  which  his  brother,  a 
boarder,  and  in  no  haste  to  return  to  his  study,  predicted 
he  would  be  driven.  He  had  no  faith  in  dispensations  to 
the  teachers  ot  morality,  to  set  aside  any  of  its  claims ;  in 
a  division  of  labor  which  should  extend  to  preaching  and 
practice,  in  any  particular.  Upon  this  point  his  principles 
were  well  defined,  firm  and  unswervingly  carried  out. 

In  person  he  was  small ;  and  he  always  wore  the  cocked 
hat  and  short  clothes  common  in  his  younger  days,  with 
"  bands"  at  the  neck  like  the  Episcopal  clergyman.  By 
his  people,  and  by  others,  he  was  beloved,  and  reverenced. 
It  is  related  of  a  little  boy  in  one  of  the  neighboring  towns, 
that  being  compelled  to  pass  at  night-fall  through  the 
woods  with  his  cow,  he  always  repeated  constantly, — "  Old 
Dr.  West ;  Old  Dr.  West ;"  sure  that  no  harm  would  come 
near  him  while  he  possessed  such  a  protection. 

In  1775,  Dr.  West  resigned  the  care  of  the  Indians  to 
Mr.  Sergeant,  and  received  his  support  entirely  from  the 
whites.  His  salary  was  then  £80 ;  one  year  during  the 
Revolutionary  War  it  was  not  paid,  and  the  town  were  for 
some  time  behind.  But  at  length  it  was  raised  and  he 
was  thus  enabled  to  paint  his  house,  and  indulge  himself 
in  some  other  comforts  not  before  enjoyed.  In  1792,  he 
received  from  Dartmouth  College  the  degree  of  D.  D. ; 
and  at  the  founding  of  Williams  College  1793,  he  was  cho 
sen  one  of  the  trustees,  and  also  Vice  President ;  which 
offices  he  held  until  age  obliged  him  to  resign,  in  1812. 

As  an  expounder  of  the  Scriptures,  Dr.  West  is  said  to 

have  had  no  equal  in  the  country ;  and  he  was  much  in 

the  habit  of  expounding  on  one  part  of  the  Sabbath.     In 

this  way,  he  went  twice  through  the  New  Testament.    As 

8* 


166  STOCKBRIDGE,   PAST   AND    PRESENT; 

a  preacher,  he  was  highly  esteemed.  As  a  scholar,  he 
was  deep  and  industrious.  Besides  Latin  and  Greek,  he 
read  Hebrew,  but  not  readily.  He  was  conversant  with 
the  Septuagint.  The  church  enjoyed  several  seasons  of 
revival  under  his  ministry,  and  he  admitted  three  hundred 
and  eighty-four  persons  to  the  church  by  profession.  Of 
these,  twenty-two  were  Indians.  Nine  hundred  were  bap 
tized  during  the  same  period.  When  Dr.  West  married 
people  of  color,  he  always  received  the  fee,  but  presented 
it  to  the  bride. 

The  published  works  of  Dr.  West  were  mostly  single 
sermons,  but  some  were  of  a  larger  size.  His  Essay  on 
Moral  Agency  was  published  in  1772,  though  preached 
soon  after  his  conversion.  Treatise  on  the  Atonement, 
1785 ;  Sermon  on  Marriage,  and  vindication  of  Stock- 
bridge  Church  for  its  course  in  the  matter,  1779  and  1780  ; 
Sermon  on  the  Impotency  of  Sinners,  1785  or  1790  ;  Ser 
mon  preached  at  the  execution  of  Ely  and  Rose,  Dec.  6, 
1787  ;  Ordination  Sermons  preached  in  1795,  1802,  1806, 
and  1810,  were  published  in  the  same  order ;  Infant  Bap 
tism,  1795  ;  two  Sermons,  1797  ;  Infant  Baptism,  a  second 
work,  1798 ;  Prayer  for  Ministers,  preached  in  1802 ; 
Life  of  Dr.  Hopkins,  1805;  Funeral  Sermon,  1808; 
three  Sermons  on  the  Creation,  1809 ;  and  an  Essay  on 
the  Divinity  of  Christ,  composed  at  the  age  of  80,  and 
republished  in  England  since  his  death,  1816.  He  also 
wrote  for  the  various  religious  periodicals  of  the  day. 

Dr.  West  was  not  a  believer  in  the  pre-millenial  advent 
of  Christ ;  but  he  fully  expected  that  that  glorious  morn 
ing  of  the  church  would  be  preceded  by  great  convulsions 
in  the  political  world  which  would  cut  off  many  of  the  ene 
mies  of  God.  The  return  of  the  Jews  to  their  own  land, 
too,  and  the  tender  love  of  the  Christian  Church  for  that 
nation,  "  whose  were  the  fathers,  and  of  whom,  concerning 
the  flesh,  Christ  came,"  were,  he  believed,  to  be  parts  of 
the  blessedness  and  holiness  of  the  millenial  period.  It 
has  been  asserted  that  he  believed  in  the  eternal  punish 
ment  of  infants  for  the  depravity  of  their  nature,  inherited 
from  Adam,  and  he  has  been  professedly  quoted  upon  that 
point.  But  before  his  death,  he  publicly  denied  the  senti 
ments  and  remarks  ascribed  to  him,  and  explained  his 
views  as  simply  these — :that  if  a  parent  truly  gave  up  a 


OR,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD    MISSION    STATION.  1G7 

child  in  baptism,  it  would  be  accepted  and  saved,  whether 
it  died  in  infancy,  or  lived  to  pass  through  the  mental 
exercises  of  an  adult  convert.  But,  on  the  other  hand,  if 
this  duty  was  purposely  neglected,  or  if  baptism  was  unac 
companied  by  a  faith  in  the  parent  which  was  prepared  to 
train  the  child  for  God,  whatever  provision  the  Gospel  had 
made  in  behalf  of  the  infant,  the  parent  had  no  right  to 
its  consolations,  and  no  revelation  was  granted  to  him  upon 
the  subject.  He  believed  there  was  salvation  for  the  child ; 
but  no  covenant  being  entered  into,  and  the  child  being 
incompetent  to  receive  a  promise,  the  whole  matter  lay  in 
the  secret  councils  of  a  holy  God. 

The  people  of  Stockbridge  were  well  indoctrinated 
under  the  ministry  of  Dr.  West.  His  conference  meet 
ings,  and  his  meetings  for  young  men,  and  those  for  young 
women,  in  which  questions  were  given  out  and  written 
upon,  were  good  schools  of  theology.  But  besides  his 
own  people  he  had  many  theological  students,  who  fitted 
for  the  ministry  under  his  care.  Among  them  were  Mr. 
Seth  Swift,  Mr.  Freegrace  Reynolds,  Mr.  Gamaliel  Olds, 
Mr.  Jacob  Catlin,  Mr.  Amsworth,  Mr.  Hallock,  Mr.  Sam 
uel  Spring,  Mr.  Samuel  Whelpley,  Mr.  Amasa  Jerome, 
Mr.  John  Sergeant,  Mr.  Steel,  Mr.  Prince  Hawes,  Mr. 
Thomas  Robbins,  Mr.  Benjamin  Bell,  Mr.  Holland  Weeks, 
Mr.  Elijah  Wheeler,  Mr.  Peter  P.  Roots,  Mr.  Aaron  Col 
lins,  Mr.  Gordon  Dorrance,  and  Mr.  E.  G.  Swift,  after 
wards  his  colleague,  &c.  Many  of  these  were  distin 
guished  in  after  life,  particularly  Dr.  Spring,  Professor 
Olds,  Dr.  Catlin,  and  Mr.  Hallock. 

The  first  wife  of  Dr.  West  was  Miss  Elizabeth  Williams, 
as  has  been  mentioned.  His  second  wife  was  Miss  Eleanor 
Dewey,  daughter  of  Daniel  Dewey  of  Sheffield,  whom  he 
married  in  Williamstown,  in  1806.  He  was,  of  choice, 
dismissed  from  his  charge,  Aug.  27,  1818,  and  died  May 
13,  1819,  aged  84.  His  second  wife  died  in  Sheffield, 
March  14,  1827,  at  the  age  of  73. 


168  STOCKBKIDGE,  PAST  AJCD   PRESENT  J 


SECTION    XXXI. 


REVOLUTIONARY     WAR. 

WE  come  now  to  the  stirring  scenes  of  the  Revolution, 
scenes  of  as  much  interest  perhaps  in  Stockbridge,  as  in 
any  inland  town  not  the  seat  of  actual  conflict.  July  6, 
1774,  a  County  Congress  assembled  here  and  sat  two  days, 
Wednesday  and  Thursday,  passing  resolutions,  the  princi 
ples  of  which  were  to  recommend  Thursday,  the  14th  of 
the  month,  as  a  day  of  Fasting  and  Prayer,  in  the  hope 
that  impending  evils  might  be  averted.  It  passed  on 
Wednesday,  and  on  Thursday  they  "  solemnly,  and  in  good 
faith,  covenanted  and  engaged  with  each  other,"  that  they 
would  "  not  import,  purchase,  or  consume,  or  suffer  any 
person  for,  by,  or  under  them,  to  import,  purchase  or  con 
sume,  in  any  matter  whatever,  any  goods,  wares,  or  manu 
factures,  which  should  arrive  in  America  from  Great  Brit 
ain,  from  and  after  the  first  day  of  October  next,  or  such 
other  time  as  should  be  agreed  upon  by  the  American 
Congress ;  nor  any  goods  which  should  be  ordered  from 
thence  from  and  after  that  day,  until  our  Charter,  and 
Constitutional  rights  should  be  restored,  (except  such  arti 
cles  as  Congress  should  choose  to  import,)  unless  it  should 
be  found  that  other  Colonies  would  not  unite  in  this  policy, 
or  that  the  policy  was  unavailing."  That  they  would 
strictly  observe  all  constitutional  law  and  authority,  dis 
countenance  riots,  mobs,  &c.,  and  endeavor  to  promote 
harmony  and  love  throughout  the  community ;  withhold 
ing,  however,  all  intercourse  with  dissenters  therefrom. 
And  as  these  measures  would  deprive  them  of  many  com 
forts  and  even  necessaries,  they  resolved  to  use  every 
prudent  measure  for  relief,  promoting  the  culture  of  flax, 
the  raising  of  sheep,  and  the  manufacture  of  such  mate 
rials  as  should  be  produced. 

Other  similar  meetings  were  held  during  the  war ;  and, 
besides  resolves,  such  was  the  action  of  the  Berkshire 
people, — and  Stockbridge,  it  is  said,  "  performed  a  good 


OR,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.  169 

deal  of  revolutionary  service," — that  a  Congress  of  1778 
could  make  the  following  declaration  : — 

''  Your  memorialists  have,  from  the  time  of  the  Stamp  Act, 
to  the  present  day,  manifested  a  constant  and  uniform  abhor 
rence  and  detestation,  not  only  in  sentiment,  but  overt  actions, 
of  all  the  unconstitutional  measures  taken  by  the  British  Par 
liament  to  tax,  depauperate,  and  subjugate  these  now  United 
and  Independent  States  of  America.  They  can  vie  with  any 
County  in  this  State,  not  only  in  voluntarily  appearing  in 
arms  upon  the  least  notice,  when  their  brethren  in  distress 
needed  their  assistance,  as  at  the  massacre  at  Lexington,  the 
fight  of  Bunker  Hill,  &c.,  &c.,  but  also  in  filling  up  their 
quotas  of  men  from  time  to  time  demanded,  either  by  this 
State,  or  by  the  commanding  officer  in  these  parts ;  although 
our  situation  has  been  such  as  might  have  justified  the  Gene 
ral  Court,  had  they  called  upon  us  for  no  such  supplies  ;  over 
and  above  which,  our  zeal  in  the  common  cause  has  carried 
us  beyond  our  abilities,  in  the  frequent  excursions  against  the 
common  enemy,  as  in  the  battle  of  Bennington,  in  assisting 
Col.  Brown  in  the  capture  of  so  many  hundreds  at  the  carry 
ing-place  at  Ticonderoga,  in  the  quelling  of  the  tories  at 
divers  times  in  a  neighboring  State,  and  in  other  instances 
too  numerous  to  enumerate." 

In  Stockbridge,  no  hero  of  the  Revolution  survives  to 
tell  the  story,  and  the  town  records,  as  might  perhaps  be 
expected,  are  incomplete,  so  that  a  meager  account  only 
can  be  presented  of  our  own  part  in  the  conflict.  It  is  a 
matter  of  history  that  the  women  of  Berkshire  engaged  in 
the  cultivation  of  the  fields,  that  their  husbands  and  fath 
ers  might  shoulder  the  musket ;  and  in  one  district,  at  least, 
from  which  the  most  full  returns  have  been  obtained,  it 
may  readily  be  inferred  that  Stockbridge  women  must  have 
held  the  plow.  But,  it  may  be  asked,  will  woman  defend 
the  system  of  war,  and  commend  those  who  have  left  the 
pruning-hook  for  the  spear?  We  answer — we  reason  on 
this  subject  as  we  reason  on  the  system  of  crime  and  its 
punishment — as  we  reason  on  the  midnight  assault  of  the 
robber,  and  the  bold  defence  of  his  family  by  the  "  house- 
band."  We  had  an  example  of  non-resistance  in  1755,  in 
the  case  of  Mr.  Chamberlain — and  we  condemn  it  without 
qualification.  We  had  an  example  of  heroic  resistance  at 
the  same  time  in  the  conduct  of  Mr.  Owen,  and  we  com 
mend  it.  Personal  wrongs  should  be  forgiven,  and 
endured  with  much  long  suffering ;  but  law  we  must  have ; 


170          STOCKBRIDGE,  PAST  AND  PRESENT  ; 

public  rights  must  be  defended  by  those  set  for  their 
defence,  whether  the  belligerent  be  a  beggar  or  a  King ; 
and  it  was  upon  this  principle  that  our  struggle  for  Inde 
pendence  was  carried  on.  Thanks  then  to  Him  who  has 
all  hearts  in  his  hands,  that  our  fathers  did  not  escape 
through  the  windows  when  the  British  war  knife  entered 
their  dwelling  place,  and  was  shaken  over  the  heads  of 
their  wives  and  children.  Yes,  a  thousand  thanks  from 
woman's  heart,  that  in  the  season  of  peril  and  death  now 
to  be  recorded,  the  broad  shield  of  manly  strength,  and 
manly  daring,  was  extended  over  the  wife,  the  mother,  the 
sister  and  the  daughter ;  and  in  commendation  of  those 
who,  under  Providence,  won  for  woman  the  blessings  of 
our  favored  land,  let  her  grateful  voice  rise  first,  and  let 
it  die  last. 

How  well  Stockbridge  was  prepared  for  the  struggle, 
with  respect  to  military  stores  on  hand,  may  be  inferred 
from  the  small  supply  at  that  time  in  the  colony.  In 
1756  also,  when  war  was  at  their  doors,  the  supply  ordered 
to  be  purchased  was  only  30  Ibs.  of  powder  and  90  of  lead. 

April  14,  1775,  the  whole  amount  of  public  stores  was 
21,549  fire  arms,  17,441  pounds  of  powder,  22,191  pounds 
of  ball,  144,699  flints,  10,108  bayonets,  11,979  pouches; 
and  those  in  the  hands  of  the  respective  towns,  exclusive 
of  those  in  the  Counties  of  Dukes  and  Nantucket,  which 
made  no  returns,  were — fire  arms  68,  powder  357  1-2  bbls., 
flints  100,531,  ball  66,781  Ibs. ;  being  a  little  more  than 
half  a  pound  of  powder  to  a  man.  Certainly  there  would 
have  been  no  disposition  to  fight  for  the  love  of  fighting. 
In  1775,  Stockbridge  borrowed  £20  to  purchase  fire  arms. 
In  1774,  two  regiments  of  minute  men  were  raised  in 
the  county  by  voluntary  enlistments. 

The  battle  of  Lexington  was  fought  on  Wednesday, 
April  19,  1775,  and  the  news  reached  Berkshire  on  Fri 
day  about  noon,  men  being  sent  to  all  parts  of  the  country 
in  the  greatest  possible  haste.  Indeed,  they  passed 
through  a  village  in  "Worcester  County,  with  such  rapidity 
that  the  inhabitants  half  believed  them  spectres.  Before 
sunrise  on  Saturday  morning,  the  Berkshire  regiment  was 
on  its  way,  "  completely  equipped  in  arms,  and  generally 
in  uniform."  They  had  enlisted  for  eight  months;  but 
most  of  them  enlisted  afterwards  for  a  longer  period,  and 


OR,  RECORDS  OP  AN  OLD  MISSION   STATION.  171 

some  during  the  war.*  Among  them  were  Deacon  Sam 
uel  Brown,  Thomas  "Williams,  Esq.,  who  resided  on  the 
Hill,  a  Major;  William  Goodrich,  who  resided  in  the 
house  now  occupied  by  Mr.  Bill,  a  Captain  ;  Captain 
James  Stoddard,  Jared  and  Elkanah  Bishop,  and  probably 
Mr.  Charles  Stone,  from  the  vicinity  of  the  Pond,  and  Mr. 
Daniel  Phelps,  who  was  accidentally  shot,  May,  1775,  and 
died  in  two  days.t  Maj.  Elnathan  Curtis  is  also  believed 
to  have  been  of  the  number.  He  resided  near  Curtisville. 
The  company,  being  commanded  by  Col.  Patterson  of 
Lenox,  marched  directly  to  Cambridge,  where  it  was 
re-formed  and  enlarged,  and  divided  into  northern  and 
southern  divisions.  Col.  Patterson  received  command  of 
the  first,  and  Col.  Fellows  of  Sheffield  of  the  last. — 
Esquire  Williams,  the  Bishops,  and  Capt.  Stoddard,  and 
probably  Solomon  Stoddard,  were  placed  under  Col.  Pat 
terson,  and  Capt.  Goodrich  and  Maj.  Curtis,  under  Col. 
Fellows. 

*  This  does  not  accord  with  the  account  repeatedly  pub 
lished;  and  as  Col.  Edwards  was  consulted  some  months 
previous  to  his  death,  an  apology  is  due  to  his  friends  for  the 
liberty  we  have  taken  in  departing  from  the  testimony  of  a 
credible  eye  witness.  Col.  Edwards  was,  at  the  opening  of 
the  war,  four  and  a  half  years  old;  and  admitting  the  strength 
of  early  impressions,  we  must  still  prefer  the  testimony  of  the 
late  venerable  Judge  Walker,  who  was  an  officer  in  the  regi 
ment  of  Col.  Patterson,  and  whose  reminiscences  were 
recorded  by  Dr.  Field,  from  his  own  lips.  Other  circum 
stances  also  tend  to  prove  that  the  above  statement  is  correct, 
and  that  the  memory  of  Col  Edwards  retained,  of  two  simi 
lar  names,  the  wrong  one.  The  time  of  the  battle  is  certain, 
and  so  also  is  the  fact  that  the  battle  of  Bennington  was 
fought  on  Saturday,  and  that  the  news  reached  this  vicinity 
on  the  Sabbath,  New  Marlborough  at  11  A.  M.  Again,  Maj. 
Curtis  left  his  labor  in  the  field  to  obey  the  sudden  call  of  his 
country,  a  little  time  before  the  birth  of  one  of  his  children. 
The  births  of  his  first  two  children,  neither  of  whom  lived, 
are  not  recorded.  The  third  was  born  in  May,  1778.  It  was 
not  then,  we  suppose,  when  he  went  to  Benningon,  August, 
1777,  but  when  he  went  to  Cambridge.  For  these  reasons, 
the  scene  described  by  Col.  Edwards  is  believed  to  belong  to 
a  later  date,  and  will  be  given  at  a  future  time. 

f  See  Appendix  (H.) 


172  STOCKBRIDGE,   PAST   AND   PRESENT; 

The  northern  division  received  employment  soon  after 
in  Charlestown,  and  erected  Fort  No.  3,  the  first  fort  on 
the  lines  about  Boston.  This  post  they  manned  and 
defended,  by  command  of  Gen.  Ward,  on  the  17th  of  June, 
the  day  of  the  Bunker  Hill  battle.  Their  object  was  to 
prevent  an  attack  by  the  British  upon  the  rear  of  the 
Americans  actually  engaged.  Capt.  Stoddard  used  to  say, 
that  when  he  saw  the  enemy  coming  up  he  "  found  he  was 
losing  his  countenance."  Unwilling  that  his  comrades 
should  see  him  falter,  he  stepped  aside  to  recover  his 
courage ;  but  when  he  returned,  "  they  all  looked  as  pale 
as  himself."  Some  time  after  this,  when  he  had  learned 
to  control  his  features,  he  was  asked  how  it  happened  that 
he  was  never  afraid  in  battle.  "  O ! "  he  replied,  "  I  am 
as  much  afraid  as  any  of  you,  but  I  don't  show  it." 

There  are  others,  whose  names  have  been  given  as  soldiers 
of  the  Revolution,  from  Stockbridge,  and  who,  very  proba 
bly,  belonged  to  these  regiments ;  but  no  incident  of  their 
history  gives  them  any  particular  locality.  Gen.  Marsh, 
who  kept  a  public  house  here,  is  believed,  by  his  daughter, 
to  have  been  in  the  Lexington  engagement;  but  more 
probably  he  was  in  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill.  He  was 
in  the  army  at  some  period,  as  Captain  of  a  company  of 
minute  men  raised  in  Stockbridge,  and  being  sick  most  of 
the  time,  Moses  Nash,  who  was  Lieutenant,  took  the  com 
mand  in  his  absence.  Deacon  Samuel  Brown  was  Com 
missary. 

The  regiment  of  Col.  Fellows  was  employed  about 
Roxbury  until  the  British  evacuated  Boston,  March,  1776, 
after  which  they  were  ordered  to  New  York.  A  part  of 
Col.  Patterson's  command  volunteered  to  follow  Arnold  up 
the  Kennebec,  and  across  the  wilderness  to  Quebec. — 
Among  them  were  Esquire  Williams  and  the  Bishops. 
Esquire  Williams  belonged  to  a  detachment  which 
returned  from  the  mouth  of  Dead  River,  owing  to  the 
impossibility  of  obtaining  sustenance  for  all ;  the  Bishops 
seem  to  have  gone  forward.  Their  hardships  were  dread 
ful  ;  at  one  time  Jared  Bishop  had  no  regular  food  for  15 
days  except  one  sea-biscuit. 

This  company  left  on  the  13th  of  September,  and  were 
engaged  at  Quebec,  Dec.  31,  when  Arnold  received  his 
first  wound.  The  Americans  were  foiled  in  their  attempt 


OR,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.         173 

upon  the  city,  and  the  winter  was  one  of  suffering.  The 
small  pox  broke  out,  and  the  soldiers  being  bent  upon 
inoculating  themselves,  multitudes  were  sick  at  one  time. 
They  had  one  station  on  the  river,  called  the  Cedars ;  but 
Arnold  was  at  Montreal,  forty  miles  distant. 

We  must  now  return  to  the  remainder  of  Col.  Patter 
son's  regiment  who  were  left  at,  or  who  returned  to,  Bos 
ton.  These  went  with  the  detachment  of  Col.  Fellows  to 
New  York,  and  from  thence  they  were  ordered  to  Quebec, 
to  assist  the  force  about  to  join  Arnold.  On  their  way, 
Esquire,  then  Lieutenant  Colonel,  Williams,  was  taken  ill, 
and  left  at  Skenesborough,  where  he  died  July  10th. 
Before  the  company  reached  Canada,  they  heard  of  the 
ill  success  of  the  American  arms,  but  probably  felt  that 
they  were  only  the  more  needed,  as  they  pressed  on. 
Soon  after  reaching  Montreal,  they  heard  of  an  attack 
upon  the  Cedars,  to  which  some  of  them  had  immediately 
been  dispatched.  Arnold  marched  with  his  force  from 
Montreal,  but  learned  of  the  surrender  of  the  Fort  before 
reaching  it.  The  fear  of  the  Indians,  rather  than  the 
power  of  the  enemy,  had  gained  this  victory ;  and  now 
Arnold  was  compelled  to  sign  the  cartel,  which  he  was 
told  had  been  signed  by  the  Commander,  and  threatened 
that  a  refusal  would  be  the  death-warrant  of  every  pris 
oner.  This  act  was  censured  by  Congress;  and  it  is 
known  that  one  officer  from  Canaan,  Ct.,  by  the  name  of 
Stephens,  refused  at  this  time  to  surrender  to  the  British, 
until  his  own  commander  threatened  to  fire  upon  him  if  he 
persisted  in  his  resolution.  The  regiment  of  Col.  Patter 
son  retreated  after  this  affair  and  spent  a  short  time  at 
Crown  Point.  They  then  went  to  Ticonderoga,  crossed 
the  bay,  and  fortified  Mount  Independence  in  Orwell, 
where  they  remained  until  November.  During  that  month 
they  were  marched  to  Albany,  and  there  shipped  to  Esopus, 
from  whence  they  proceeded  through  the  Minisink  coun 
try,  through  Nazareth  and  Bethlehem,  and  joined  the 
army  under  Washington  at  Newtown,  Pa.  When  they 
left  New  York,  the  regiment  of  Col.  Patterson  numbered 
more  than  GOO ;  but  when  it  was  again  united  to  that  of 
Washington,  it  had  been  reduced  to  220.  Some  had  fallen 
in  battle,  some  had  died  of  small  pox,  others  had  been  left 
in  Canada  as  hostages  or  prisoners,  and  others  still  had 
been  left  sick  by  the  way. 


174  STOCKBRIDGE,  PAST  AND  PRESENT  J 

Nor  had  the  company  of  Col.  Fellows  been  idle. 
During  the  summer  of  '76  they  were  with  Washington  in 
and  about  New  York,  and  at  its  close  were  sent  to  aid  the 
detachment  posted  near  Kip's  Bay.  On  their  march,  they 
met  the  van-guard  retreating  in  terror  from  the  fire  of 
Clinton,  who  had  landed  4000  men  at  that  point.  The 
regiments  of  Parsons  and  Fellows  caught  the  panic ;  and 
though  Washington  was  behind,  hastening  to  their  relief, 
the  soldiers  fled  in  all  directions.  It  now  became  neces 
sary  to  evacuate  New  York,  and  this  was  effected  by  Gen. 
Putnam  with  little  loss.  Major  Curtis  was  among  those 
who  withdrew,  and  was  warmly  engaged  in  an  action 
which  took  place  at  the  time.  "  This  is  hot  work,"  he 
remarked,  wiping  the  perspiration  from  his  face  with  the 
sleeve  of  his  coat,  "  hot  work."  He  was  also  at  the  battle 
of  White  Plains,  Oct.  28th  of  that  year,  and  from  thence 
perhaps  followed  the  fortunes  of  his  comrades  to  Newtown, 
where  we  may  now,  probably,  find  all  the  remaining  sol 
diers  of  the  first  two  Berkshire  regiments,  though  we  have 
been  able  but  imperfectly  to  trace  the  movements  by 
which  they  have  reached  that  point. 

The  campaign  had  been  a  disastrous  one.  The  British 
were  in  possession  of  Philadelphia,  and  Cornwallis  was  in 
New  York,  nearly  ready  to  sail  for  England,  freighted 
with  the  intelligence  that  no  further  resistance  would  be 
made.  Some  bold  stroke  was  necessary  on  the  part  of 
Washington ;  and  it  must  be  successful  or  all  was  lost. 
The  enemy,  expecting  nothing  from  a  handful  of  ragged, 
starving  soldiers,  were  at  ease,  and  a  surprise  might  turn 
the  scale  in  our  favor.  The  24th  of  December  came. 
The  night  gathered  cold  and  dark,  the  snow  fell  fast,  and 
the  roads  were  slippery.  Little  did  Gen.  Howe  look  for 
the  Christmas  visit  which  Washington  was  preparing  to 
pay  him.  But  starving  men  could  brave  a  storm  to  obtain 
sustenance,  and  northern  men,  at  least,  were  familiar  with 
snow. 

Washington  divided  his  soldiers  into  three  companies, 
and  ordered  them  to  cross  the  Delaware  at  different  points, 
and  attack  Howe  at  Trenton.  Those  who  had  returned 
from  Canada,  if  not  the  southern  Berkshire  division,  were 
with  him,  and  his  was  the  only  portion  which  effected 
a  passage.  At  three  o'clock  in  the  morning,  before  the 


OR,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.        175 

merry  salutations  of  the  day  had  commenced,  the  British 
were  surprised.  History  gives  the  particulars  of  the  bat 
tle  ;  suffice  for  us  to  say,  that  the  Americans  took  one 
thousand  prisoners,  and  one  thousand  stand  of  arms, 
besides  six  field  pieces,  with  the  loss  of  only  two  killed, 
and  two  frozen  to  death.  They  then  secured  Philadel 
phia,  and  the  next  day  recrossed  the  river. 

This  was  the  opening  of  a  new  day  for  the  country. 
Hope  brightened ;  fears  were  thrown  to  the  winds ;  and 
the  army  of  Washington  increased  so  rapidly,  that  early 
in  January  he  was  able  to  recross  the  river  with  five  thou 
sand  men.  Cornwallis  abandoned  his  projected  voyage, 
and  proceeded  to  New  Jersey.  The  advance  party  met 
the  army  of  Washington  at  Princeton,  and,  under  com 
mand  of  Mawhood,  made  an  attack,  ignorant  of  the 
strength  of  their  foe.  Here  the  battle  of  Princeton  was 
fought,  Jan.  2,  1777.  Washington  is  represented  as 
mounted  on  his  white  steed,  and  looking,  as  he  rode  above 
his  army,  "  more  like  a  guardian  angel,  than  like  a  man." 
Cornwallis  came  in  sight  just  as  his  army  took  the  road  to 
Morristown,  at  which  place,  the  Berkshire  soldiers  still 
with  him,  he  took  up  his  winter  quarters.  And  there  we 
must  leave  them  for  the  present,  and  look  in  once  more 
upon  the  old  home. 

During  the  summer  of  1776,  a  regiment  from  Berkshire 
proceeded  to  Ticonderoga  under  the  command  of  Samuel 
Brewer,  Colonel ;  and  as  Dr.  Erastus  Sergeant  was  one 
summer  at  Ticonderoga  under  Capt.  Cook  of  Curtisville, 
and  his  son  remembers  to  have  seen  the  muster  roll  among 
his  father's  papers,  the  probability  is  that  he  was  Orderly 
Sergeant  in  the  company. 

By  this  time  the  depreciation  of  the  currency  had 
become  very  considerable,  and  the  expense  of  supporting 
the  army  a  serious  question.  In  March,  1775,  the  town 
had  voted  that  Congress  should  go  on  as  usual  in  collect 
ing  taxes  agreeably  to  law,  and  be  supported  therein.  In 
January,  1776,  with  but  one  dissenting  voice,  it  was  voted 
that  the  inhabitants  of  Stockbridge  would  support  civil 
authority  in  this  county ;  and  at  the  same  time  £50  was 
voted  to  purchase  ten  tents  for  the  inhabitants.  In 
December  of  the  same  year,  Col.  Brown  of  Pittsfield  was 
sent  to  Mount  Independence  with  a  regiment  of  militia, 


176  STOCKBRIDGE,  PAST  AND  PRESENT  J 

but  we  find  no  evidence  that  Stockbridge  men  were  among 
them.  In  1777,  large  bodies  of  men  were  dispatched  to 
assist  Generals  Stark  and  Gates  in  opposing  the  plans  of 
Burgoyne,  and  in  these  our  citizens  were  more  or  less 
engaged.  It  was  during  that  winter  that  Agrippa  Hull 
was  enlisted,  and  of  course  others  were  engaged  at  the 
same  time.  Capt.  Goodrich  had  returned,  and  was 
engaged  as  recruiting  officer.  But  Capt.  Stoddard  was  in 
the  battle  of  Bennington,  and  therefore  may  be  numbered 
as  now  enlisted  for  a  second  time,  and  for  this  service. 
Maj.  Curtis  also  had  returned  previously  to  that  battle, 
and  was  one  of  twenty  minute  men  who  stood  ready  at  the 
time.  Jahleel  Woodbridge,  Esq.,  was  commander  of  the 
band. 

In  August,  Col.  Baum,  as  is  well  known,  was  sent  by 
Burgoyne  to  plunder  the  American  stores  at  Bennington. 
Alarm  spread  through  the  country,  and  Gen.  Stark,  with 
all  the  characteristic  ardor  of  his  Irish  soul,  and  with  the 
forgiving  spirit  of  a  true  patriot,  buried  his  real  or  sup 
posed  wrongs  in  the  sod  which  he  had  tilled,  exchanged 
the  plow  for  the  sword,  and  rushed  to  the  defence  of  his 
adopted  country.  Berkshire  men,  from  towns  as  far  south 
as  Pittsfield,  joined  his  army,  and  others  stood  ready  to  go 
at  the  sound  of  the  signal  guns.  Several  parties  were  met, 
and  still  the  enemy  pressed  on,  halting  only  at  the  distance 
of  four  miles  from  the  town.  New  supplies  were  at  hand, 
and  Stark  resolved  to  attack  Baum  in  his  camp  before  he 
should  be  reinforced.  The  encampment  was  on  a  branch 
of  the  Hoosuck,  called  variously  Walloon  Creek,  Wal- 
loomsack,  &c.,  near  Van  Schaack's  Mills,  and  within  the 
bounds  of  New  York.  The  day  was  Saturday,  Aug.  16, 
1777.  The  Hessian  commander  did  all  that  could  be  done ; 
but  after  two  hours  of  hot  conflict,  the  Hessians  gave  way, 
and  the  army  was  routed.  Soon  Breyman  came  up  with 
a  reinforcement  and  renewed  the  battle.  Stark,  however, 
was  also  reinforced  by  Warner,  and  maintained  his  position. 
The  engagement  was  kept  up  until  dark,  and  then  Brey 
man  escaped  with  a  small  part  of  his  force  to  the  British 
camp,  leaving  his  artillery  and  baggage  to  be  added  to  the 
American  stores  which  Baum  had  been  sent  to  secure. 
This  action  had  been  preceded  by  a  day  of  solemn  fasting 
and  prayer  in  New  Hampshire,  in  view  of  the  impending 
danger. 


OR,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD   MISSION    STATION.  177 

In  Stockbridge,  the  booming  of  the  cannon  alone  told 
of  the  battle.  There  was  danger — there  was  death  and 
desolation  somewhere ;  but  "  where  ?  "  and  "  how  near  ?  " 
"  who  were  suffering  ?  "  and  "  how  soon  ?  "  and  "  from  what 
quarter  ?  "  the  foe  might  be  upon  them  with  fire  and  sword, 
was  left  for  torturing  imagination  to  answer.  Those  whose 
names  were  on  the  minute  roll,  might  be  summoned  at  any 
instant  to  exchange  home  and  all  that  they  had  garnered 
there  for  the  tent  and  the  battle-field,  and  those  who  had 
friends  in  the  northern  army  justly  imagined  them  in  the 
conflict.  And  as  that  night  gathered  its  curtain  of  unusual 
darkness  around  their  dwellings,  as  families  turned  from 
the  untasted  meal  to  prepare  for  the  possible  midnight 
attack,  or  for  the  sudden  warning  to  the  enlisted ;  as  the 
yet  unbroken  circle  gathered  once  more  around  the  family 
altar,  trustful  devotion  seeking  to  gain  the  mastery,  over 
fears  and  murmurings, — or  as  the  prayerless  household, 
without  God  and  without  hope,  sought  the  pillow  which 
contained  no  promise, — fancy  fails  to  tell  the  varied,  and 
ever  varying  emotions  which  surged  the  hearts  of  all  in 
this,  our  how  safe  and  quiet  dwelling  place.  But  the 
night  passed,  undisturbed  except  by  the  bark  of  some 
wakeful  sentinel  at  the  door,  the  frightful  dreams  of  child 
hood,  the  rustling  of  the  leaves,  or  the  pattering  of  the 
rain-drops ;  and  a  Sabbath  morning,  almost  of  necessity, 
brought  some  hope  of  good.  The  frugal  board  was  again 
spread  and  welcomed,  the  prayerful  breathed  gratitude  for 
deliverance,  and  the  timid  child  laughed  at  its  dreamy  ter 
rors,  climbed]  the  father's  knee,  looked  fearlessly  into  the 
face  of  a  parent — not  a  soldier — and,  as  it  was  not  wont 
on  other  Sabbaths,  talked  gaily  of  the  gun  and  knapsack 
now  thrown  aside.  Even  the  cold,  drizzling  rain  was  half 
enjoyed  in  the  comfort  of  protection  from  its  power, — when 
suddenly  a  gun  is  heard  !  and  as  they  listen,  breathless, 
another,  and  still  another.  "  To  arms  !  to  arms  ! "  Not  a 
child  but  understood  their  dreadful  import,  and  not  a  heart 
in  Stockbridge  but  beat  that  moment  with  anxiety  or  grief. 
A  few  parting  words,  a  few  hasty  kisses,  and  we  must 
leave  the  cradle  and  the  hearth-stone,  for  the  scenes  which 
were  transpiring  in  the  village — the  exterior  of  war,  with 
which,  alone,  history  has  usually  anything  to  do. 

The  village,  as  all  must  know,  was  not  what  we  have 


178  STOCKBRIDGE,  PAST  AND  PRESENT  J 

known  it.  The  public  house  was  low,  though  of  two  sto 
ries,  and  entered  by  a  door  cut  crosswise.  The  corner 
now  occupied  by  Mr.  Curtis  was  vacant,  and  only  two  or 
three  small  houses  stood  between  that  corner  and  the  next. 
School-house  Lane  was  not  then  opened.  Two  houses,  only, 
stood  below  the  dwelling  of  Capt.  Goodrich ;  and  west  of 
Major  Owen's  there  was  the  former  residence  of  Mr.  Ser 
geant,  (then  the  dwelling  of  Mr.  Kirkland,)  a  low  house 
occupied  by  Mr.  James,  (father  of  the  distinguished  phy 
sician  of  that  name,)  Mr.  Tucker's,  (now  Mr.  Brinton's,) 
Widow  Betty's,  the  "  Peck  house,"  and  perhaps  the  houses 
now  owned  by  Mr.  Carter,  and  Mrs.  Curtis.  At  eight 
o'clock  Jahleel  Woodbridge  and  Deacon  Nash  came  from 
the  east,  and  taking  their  stand  at  the  corner,  fired  two 
signal  guns.  Timothy  Edwards,  Esq.,  had  built  the  house 
now  owned  by  Major  Owen,  (of  one  and  a  half  stories, 
with  a  porch  in  front,  and  a  sjtore  across  the  east  end.)  At 
the  sound  of  the  alarm  guns,  he  took  down  his  own 
weapon,  and,  standing  beside  them,  fired  the  third.  Soon 
the  people  began  to  assemble,  some  as  spectators,  and  oth 
ers  equipped  for  service.  Dr.  West,  too,  came  tiown  the 
hill,  with  Bible  in  his  hand  and  intercession  in  his  heart ; 
the  rain  fell  slowly,  but  coldly ;  the  pastor  stepped  upon 
the  porch,  his  flock  gathered  around  him,  and  there  he 
read,  and  prayed,  and  counseled ;  the  partings  were 
uttered,  the  hearts  nerved  to  duty,  and  before  noon  the 
army  was  on  its  march.  Esquire  Woodbridge  was  Cap 
tain.  Dr.  Partridge  was  either  with  them  as  surgeon,  or 
had  hurried  on  before  ;  but  of  the  men  we  only  know  that 
Major  Curtis  was  among  them.  The  express  had  been 
sent  before  the  event  of  the  engagement  could  be  conjec 
tured,  and  the  soldiers  pressed  on  until  near  daylight  on 
Monday  morning,  when  they  met  another  herald,  and 
learned  that  the  battle  was  over  and  the  victory  won. 

Dr.  Partridge  used  often  to  relate,  that  during  the  busy 
scenes  which  followed  the  conflict,  he  noticed  blood  upon 
the  sleeve  of  Capt.  Stoddard,  and  remarked  to  him — 
"  Well,  Captain,  you  were  shot."  "  Why,  no,"  was  the 
answer,  "not  that  I  have  known."  The  ball  had  not 
entered  his  arm  ;  but  it  had  grazed  it  deeply,  and  so  great 
had  been  the  excitement,  that  this  was  his  first  knowledge 
of  the  fact. 


OR,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.  179 

After  this  victory,  Col.  Brown  was  sent  by  Lincoln 
from  Pawlet,  Vt.,  to  the  north  end  of  Lake  George — a 
successful  expedition ;  David  Pixley  is  believed  to  have 
been  of  this  company.  August  22d,  the  siege  of  Fort 
Schuyler,  on  the  Mohawk,  was  raised, — soon  after  which, 
Capt.  Gregg,  one  of  our  officers  at  that  station,  was  so 
wonderfully  preserved  by  the  sagacity  of  Tray,  "  his  dog, 
the  trustiest  of  his  kind,"  a  circumstance  familiar  to  the 
readers  of  the  American  Preceptor ; — Gates,  having  taken 
the  place  of  Schuyler,  had  been  reinforced  by  a  detach 
ment  sent  from  New  Jersey  by  Washington,  and  Septem 
ber  19th,  fought  the  victorious  battle  of  Still  water;  Mor 
gan  frequently  met  and  defeated  the  Indians  about 
Saratoga,  until  both  Indians  and  Tories  deserted  the 
British  army;  September  29th,  the  army  of  Lincoln 
joined  that  of  Gates ;  October  7th,  another  battle  was 
fought,  disastrous  to  the  British,  Fort  Edward  was  reta 
ken,  and  October  13th,  Burgoyne  made  proposals  of  sur 
render  to  Gates,  which  were  confirmed  on  the  16th,  and 
the  splendid  British  army  which  had  spread  terror  through 
the  country,  grounded  arms  at  the  command  of  its  officers, 
and  became  a  company  of  prisoners.  The  regiment  under 
Col.  Patterson  was  in  this  engagement,  but  whether  sent 
by  Washington  with  Morgan,  or  forming  a  part  of  the 
army  of  Lincoln,  does  not  appear ;  most  probably,  how 
ever,  the  first.  Daniel  Gaines  of  Curtisville  was  shot  by 
an  Indian  while  on  guard  at  Fort  Edward ;  but  at  what 
time,  is  not  specified.  His  mother  was  sister  to  old  Mr. 
Churchill,  and  lived  opposite  the  present  "  white  factory." 

The  news  of  this  victory  soon  reached  Stockbridge,  and 
as  Dr.  Partridge  was  about  to  pay  a  visit  to  Hatfield,  he 
scattered  it  along  the  way  as  he  went.  Preparations  were 
made  for  the  supply  of  the  prisoners,  as  they  passed  on  to 
Boston,  whence  they  were  to  sail  for  England.  But  it  was 
finally  decided  to  send  them  to  Virginia. 

In  November  of  that  year,  a  meeting  was  called  in 
Stockbridge  to  levy  a  tax  for  the  support  of  the  families 
of  non-commissioned  officers  and  private  soldiers,  agree 
ably  to  the  act  of  Legislature.  £80  was  decided  upon  as 
the  sum.  March,  1778,  £36  was  voted  for  the  purchase 
of  tents,  to  be  immediately  procured.  May,  £210  were 
ordered  to  be  borrowed  for  the  payment  of  seven  men  to 


180  STOCKBRIDGE,   PAST  AND  PRESENT  J 

be  enlisted  for  nine  months,  according  to  Legislative 
requirements,  and  in  November  £100  more,  for  the  sup 
port  of  families.  In  August  of  this  year  another  County 
Convention  was  held,  whose  memorial  has  been  noticed. 

In  March,  1779,  the  town  unanimously  voted  themselves 
bound  by  the  doings  of  the  "  Great  and  General  Court." 
In  1780,  they  voted  £300  12s.  to  Elias  Gilbert,  and  £789 
7s.  to  Asa  Bement,  for  their  services  at  the  State  Conven 
tion.  Besides  the  drain  of  war  under  usual  circumstances, 
the  continental  currency  had  so  depreciated  that  by  the 
opening  of  the  next  year,  seventy-two  paper  dollars  went 
for  one  of  silver. 

June  5,  1780,  the  Selectmen  were  required  to  enlist  the 
men  ordered  by  the  General  Court,  and  on  the  19th  they 
were  instructed  to  offer  them  twenty  shillings  a  month  in 
addition  to  the  pay  allowed  by  the  Government.  This 
was  to  be  paid  in  silver  or  gold ;  and  they  were  to  receive 
so  much  of  the  same  in  advance  as  they  might  immediate 
ly  need.  £100  was  raised  for  the  purpose.  July  7,  the 
Selectmen  were  ordered  to  procure  the  horses  required  of 
the  town,  and  to  make  the  purchases  upon  the  credit  of 
either  the  town  or  the  State,  as  should  be  desired.  £4,500 
were  assessed  for  the  same.  It  was  also  voted  that  the 
same  sum  should  be  paid  to  the  three  men  now  enlisted 
for  six  months,  as  had  been  paid  to  those  enlisted  in  June. 
£10  were  raised  for  the  encouragement  of  the  six  months 
men.  Every  man  who  would  voluntarily  enlist  in  the 
militia  for  three  months,  was  also  promised  twenty  shil 
lings  a  month  over  and  above  the  State  wages,  and  £50 
was  raised  for  this  purpose.  £3000  was  also  voted  for 
clothing  for  the  army,  being  the  same  which  was  voted  the 
previous  year.  Mr.  Abel  Curtis  was  appointed  to  distri 
bute  clothing  to  the  army.  He  used  often  afterwards  to 
speak  of  a  poor  little  white  haired  boy,  whom  he  took  with 
him,  and  who  afterwards  became  a  man  of  wealth  and 
influence,  and  the  proprietor  of  a  township  in  New  York, 
called,  in  honor  of  him,  Pennington. 

Early  in  October,  1780,  some  of  our  citizens  accompanied 
Col.  Brown,  who  was  sent  to  protect  the  Mohawk  Valley, 
and  stationed  at  Fort  Arabia,  in  Palatine,  N.  Y.  The 
English,  Tories  and  Indians  were  in  the  habit  of  plunder 
ing  that  county  every  autumn,  and  on  the  19th  of  Oct., 


OR,  RECORDS   OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.  181 

the  birth-day  of  Col.  B.,  he  received,  at  breakfast,  a  notice 
that  they  were  coming  through  the  wood  which  terminated 
on  rising  ground  a  short  distance  from  the  Fort.  He  was 
ordered  to  attack  them,  upon  the  assurance  that  another 
band  would  fall  upon  them  in  the  rear.  Little  farther 
relish  was  felt  for  the  breakfast,  and  the  band  of  one  hun 
dred  and  thirty  were  soon  ready  for  action.  As  they  came 
to  the  open  ground,  the  enemy  emerged  from  the  wood, 
find  the  action  commenced.  But  no  relief  came,  the  Col. 
fell,  and  his  men  were  chased  three  miles  to  Fort  Paris, 
forty-five  being  killed. 

Daniel  Churchill,  of  Curtisville,  is  supposed  to  have 
been  among  the  slain.  He  was  shot  when  his  fellow  sol 
diers  were  running  from  the  Indians.  Being  lame,  he 
could  not  keep  up  with  them.  This  circumstance  was  to 
his  mother  a  bitter  ingredient  in  the  cup  :  that  his  infirm 
ity  should  be  the  cause  of  his  death,  instead  of  screening 
him  from  harm,  was  a  sore  trial.  Josiah  Bradley,  of  the 
east  part  of  the  town,  never  recovered  from  his  exertions 
that  day,  though  he  lived  many  years,  and  engaged  in 
active  business.  In  October,  Stockbridge  granted  £7000 
to  purchase  beef;  and  in  December,  twelve  men  being 
ordered,  a  committee  was  chosen  to  devise  ways  and 
means  for  their  payment.  They  reported  the  same  day, 
that  the  men  should  be  promised,  that  the  present  value 
of  wages  ordered  by  Congress,  should  be  kept  good ;  that 
£184  be  assessed,  to  be  paid  in  gold,  silver  or  wheat;  the 
town  to  borrow  the  same  until  it  could  be  collected ;  which 
must  be  done  as  soon  as  January  10,  1781.  The  men 
were  to  be  paid  $50  each,  in  gold  or  silver,  and  those  who 
enlisted  during  the  war,  were  entitled  still  to  the  bounty 
engaged  by  the  Commonwealth. 

December  28,  a  committee  was  chosen  to  procure  beef 
or  grain ;  and  at  an  adjourmed  meeting  one  week  from 
that  time,  £18,000  were  ordered  to  be  assessed  for  the  pur 
pose,  payable  in  money  or  in  rye  at  $54,  corn  $45,  or  oats 
at  $27  per  bushel. 

July,  1781,  £80  in  silver  or  gold  was  ordered  for  the 
purchase  of  five  thousand,  eight  hundred  and  seventy-four 
pounds  of  beef,  and  £50  for  clothing.  But  this  allowance 
for  beef  was  insufficient,  for  in  September,  £40  more  were 
voted  to  make  the  sum  required,  and  in  March,  1782,  £80 
still  more  were  raised.  9 


182        STOCKBRIDGE,  PAST  AND  PRESENT  ; 

Another  vote,  of  July  18,  instructed  the  Militia  officers 
to  enlist  the  men  required  by  the  Act  of  June,  engaging 
to  them  £3  10s.  in  gold  or  silver,  (including  wages,)  per 
month,  and  twenty  shillings  bounty,  to  be  paid  before  they 
marched.  The  sum  assessed  for  the  purpose  was  £140, 
silver  or  gold.  This,  as  was  repeatedly  the  case,  was  to 
be  borrowed  until  it  could  be  raised  by  taxation. 

April,  1782,  £180  was  ordered  to  be  raised,  to  pay  the 
notes  given  to  the  two  years  men  in  1781,  and  at  the  same 
time  £68  was  ordered,  *o  make  the  last  payment  to  the 
three  years  men ;  and  also,  four  men  were  ordered  to  be 
enlisted  on  as  reasonable  terms  as  possible.  In  1801  Con 
tinental  money  passed  entirely  out  of  use.  "The  last  pay 
ment  which  I  remember  to  have  seen  made  in  it,"  said  one 
now  deceased,  "was  at  general  training  or  on  an  election 
day,  when  $400  was  paid  for  a  mug  of  flip." 

Jahleel  Woodbridge  Esq.  was  Commissary ;  and  while 
provisions  were  kept  in  his  barn,  military  stores  were  de 
posited  in  the  cellar.  Rev.  Dr.  Woodbridge,  his  son, 
speaks  of  Ethan  Allen  as  driving  into  town  one  Sabbath 
during  the  war,  with  a  long  train  of  sleighs,  to  procure 
provisions  for  the  army.  Mr.  Isaac  Curtis,  of  Curtisville, 
enlisted  in  the  service,  but  was  sent  home  to  aid  his  coun 
try  in  the  more  pleasant  work  of  preparing  flour.  Elijah 
Jones  enlisted  as  Orderly  Sergeant,  with  a  Commissary's 
commission,  in  March,  1781,  but  performed  the  duties  of 
a  common  soldier  until  prevented  by  the  sickness  of  which 
he  died  April  6,  1782.  Caleb  Bennett  was  out  several 
times  for  a  few  months.  Phineas  Brown,  a  Surveyor,  and 
nephew  to  Deacon  Brown,  who  lived  on  the  ground  now 
occupied  by  Mrs.  Dwight,  but  in  the  house  now  owned  by 
Mr.  M.  Miller,  was  in  the  war,  and  at  one  time  during  his 
service,  sick  at  Albany.  Solomon  Stoddard,  Elijah,  Elna- 
than  and  Wheeler  Higbee  of  Curtisville,  Paul  Jones, 
Abner  Rockwell,  Lent  Bradley,  (the  last  two  from  East 
Street,)  Elijah  Andrews,  from  the  Southwest  part  of  the 
town,  John  Dean,  and  Mr.  Ward,  were  also  among  the 
Stockbridge  soldiers.  John  Jerome  was  a  soldier,  and  a 
native  of  Stockbridge,  but  his  residence  in  town  at  the 
time,  is  uncertain.  Agrippa  Hull  was  at  the  South,  and 
it  is  said  that  those  early  engaged,  were  there  after  the 
taking  of  Burgoyne,  and  those  enlisted  later,  most  proba- 


OR,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.         183 

bly  with  Washington  in  the  Middle  States.  Voluntary 
companies  were  also  formed  in  the  county  for  the  extirpa 
tion  of  Toryism  in  the  vicinity,  and  doubtless  Stockbridge 
furnished  a  share  of  the  men  for  this  service.*  But  of 
these,  and  of  the  many  regular  soldiers  whose  names  are 
not  given,  we  have  been  able  to  gather  nothing.  April 
19,  1783,  however,  the  treaty  of  peace  was  made  known 
to  the  army,  just  eight  years  from  the  time  when  hostili 
ties  commenced,  and  all  returned  to  be  once  more  "  men 
among  their  fellow  men." 


SECTION  XXXII. 


SECOND     CHURCH    IN     STOCKBRIDGE. 

NOTWITHSTANDING  the  great  expense  of  the  Revolu 
tionary  struggle,  our  liberty  was  no  sooner  achieved  than 
the  people  of  Stockbridge  commenced  the  erection  of  a 
new  house  of  worship.  In  April,  1782,  a  committee  was 
chosen,  to  be  paid  by  the  town,  consisting  of  William 
Williams,  Timothy  Robinson,  and  Nathan  Hall,  who  were 
requested  to  meet  in  behalf  of  Stockbridge,  listen  to  any 
arguments  which  should  be  presented  by  Esquire  Ed 
wards,  Judge  Bacon,  Deacon  Nash,  and  Esquires  Samuel 
and  Elijah  Brown,  and  giving  to  them  such  weight  as  they 
considered  due,  fix  upon  a  site  for  the  building.  The 
report,  presented  by  Mr.  Williams,  recommended  a  locality 
near  the  house  of  Elijah  Brown,  Esq.,  and  earnestly  sug 
gested  "  that  the  people  of  Stockbridge  should  there  erect 

*An  old  gentleman  of  Richmond  used  to  remark  that  he 
then  thought  it  no  sin  to  shoot  a  Tory :  and  once  meeting  a 
man  of  that  class  on  one  of  the  mountains  about  Stockbridge, 
(we  believe  Monument,)  he  seized  him,  and  was  about  to  put 
him  instantly  to  death.  But  the  Tory  begged  a  few  moments' 
reprieve  in  which  to  commit  his  soul  to  God,  which  could  not 
be  refused.  He  knelt  down,  and  the  fervency  of  his  prayer 
completely  disarmed  the  spirit  of  his  captor.  He  could  shoot 
a  Tory,  but  he  could  not  shoot  a  Christian  ;  and  his  prisoner 
was  set  at  liberty. 


184  STOCKBKIDGE,   PAST   AND   PRESENT; 

a  decent  and  honorable  house,  where  they  might  with  one 
heart  and  mind  worship  and  serve  the  Great  God  of  Love 
and  Peace,  which  will  continue  to  characterize  this 
respectable  people." 

In  September,  the  sum  of  £1000  was  voted  for  the 
building,  to  be  paid  in  money,  grain,  or  neat  cattle,  at  the 
market  prices ;  the  building  committee  being  authorized  to 
move  from  the  exact  locality  recommended,  twenty  feet  in 
either  direction.  But  in  January,  1783,  the  whole  was 
reconsidered,  and  a  committee  chosen  from  both  parts  of 
the  town,  south  and  north,  to  consult  together,  and,  if  pos 
sible,  devise  some  measures  which  should  give  more  gene 
ral  satisfaction.  January  20th,  they  voted  that  the  town 
unite  in  building  a  house  on  the  high  ground  east  of  the 
house  of  Mr.  Asa  Bement,  and  that  £700  be  appropriated 
for  that  purpose.  The  house  was  to  be  fifty  feet  by  sixty, 
the  posts  twenty-six  feet  long,  and  the  steeple  sixty-two 
feet  high,  and  erected  at  the  east  end  of  the  house,  oppo 
site  the  pulpit.  The  pews  were  to  be  square.  £200  were 
afterwards  raised  during  that  year,  £380  in  March  of  1784, 
and  £14  for  the  completion  of  the  steeple  in  September 
of  the  last  year.  As  it  had  been  necessary  to  borrow 
some  part  of  the  funds,  the  money  allowed  to  the  town  by 
the  Commonwealth  was  appropriated  for  the  payment  of 
the  debt. 

Another  vote,  of  September,  1784,  gave  to  Dr.  Part 
ridge  the  liberty  of  erecting  at  his  own  expense  a  large 
pew,  over  the  entrance  doors  of  the  gallery,  to  be  used  by 
him  as  he  pleased,  during  his  residence  in  town,  except  so 
much  of  it  as  should  be  occupied  by  the  tythingmen. 

In  1785,  the  ground  about  the  house  was  put  in  order, 
the  sheds  for  horses  built,  and  the  house  cleaned,  and, 
doubtless,  dedicated.  But  the  situation  was  found  to  be  a 
very  bleak  one.  In  May,  1797,  alterations  and  repairs 
were  ordered ;  and  again  in  1804,  besides  internal  repairs, 
it  was  voted,  as  a  measure  of  safety,  to  reduce  very  much 
the  height  of  the  steeple. 

The  lower  part  of  the  house  was  entered  on  three  sides, 
aisles  crossing  each  other  at  right  angles ;  and  another 
aisle  ran  quite  around  the  house,  within  the  wall  pews. 
Over  the  pulpit  was  a  large,  roofed  projection,  like  the 
frame  work  of  a  canopy,  designed  to  reflect  the  sound 


OR,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.         185 

from  the  high,  old-fashioned  pulpit,  upon  the  congregation 
below.  The  galleries  turned  at  right  angles,  and  were  so 
deep  that  back  of  the  three  parallel  seats  there  was  room 
for  an  aisle,  and  square  pews.  The  communion  table  was 
half  an  ellipse ;  and,  when  not  in  use,  hung  down  from  a 
breast-work  in  front  of  the  pulpit.  Behind  this  breast 
work,  and  almost  beneath  the  pulpit,  was  the  seat  for  the 
pastor  and  deacons.  The  house  was  white  without,  but 
except  the  "  high  pew,"  and  the  pulpit,  with  its  "  sounding 
board,"  all  was  unpainted  within.  No  carpets,  it  is 
believed,  were  ever  introduced,  and  even  the  comfort  of  a 
stove  was  for  30  years  unknown  ;  yet  many  happy  hours 
were  spent  there,  and  many  grateful  thoughts  will  revert 
to  that  spot  as  the  song  of  praise  swells  on  to  all  eternity. 

When  the  ground  was  prepared  to  erect  this  church, 
many  human  bones  were  discovered,  supposed  to  be  those 
of  the  Indians,  overtaken  and  slain  here  by  Major  Talcott 
in  1675. 

Though  only  the  orchard  of  Dr.  West  lay  between  his 
house  and  the  new  church,  the  distance  by  the  road  was 
over  two  miles.  He  accordingly  gave  the  ground,  and  a 
road  was  cut  through  in  a  nearly  direct  line,  to  the  great 
accommodation,  not  only  of  the  hill  people  and  those  in 
the  east  part  of  the  town,  but  also  to  the  pedestrian  villa 
gers,  who,  during  the  summer  season,  almost  universally 
preferred  even  a  hill,  with  its  freedom  from  dust,  its  shades, 
and  its  continuous  and  beautiful  views,  to  the  burning 
sands  of  the  plain. 

This  church  was  taken  down  soon  after  the  erection  of 
the  one  now  occupied  in  the  village,  its  bleak  situation, 
and  the  decayed  state  of  its  timbers  rendering  it  an  unsafe 
object  to  pass. 


SECTION    XXXIII. 


THE  SHAYS      REBELLION. 

As  we  pass  through  the  struggle  of  our  country  for 
freedom,  all  who  know  in  the  least  what  it  is  to  earn  their 
bread,  must  wonder  what  could  be  left  for  the  future  sub- 


186  STOCKBRIDGE,   PAST   AND    PRESENT; 

sistence  of  the  people,  and  particularly  of  those  in  mode 
rate  circumstances.  If  they  had  not  been  called,  them 
selves,  to  the  tented  field,  the  support  of  those  who  had 
gone,  as  we  have  seen,  required  all,  and  more  than  all 
which  could  be  spared,  and  private  creditors  being  less 
urgent  than  public,  heavy  debts  were  incurred  in  procur 
ing  the  necessaries  of  life.  Often,  too,  the  demands  of  the 
army  could  not  be  met  by  the  people  at  large,  and  recourse 
must  be  had  to  loans  from  moneyed  individuals,  for  which 
the  towns  became  responsible.  These  must  afterwards  be 
paid  by  means  of  taxation.  Previous  to  the  war,  the  debt 
of  Massachusetts  fell  short  of  £100,000 ;  but  now  its  pri 
vate  debt  was  more  than  £1,300,000,  besides  £250,000 
due  to  the  officers  and  soldiers  in  their  line  of  the  army, 
and  their  proportion  of  the  federal  debt  was  not  less  than 
£1,500,000.  How  could  the  people  be  expected  to  endure 
this  without  complaints  ?  They  had  fought  against  taxes 
and  imposts ;  but  now  they  found  themselves  ground  lower 
by  the  government  which  they  had  bled  to  establish,  than 
they  had  ever  been  by  England;  and  to  increase  the 
distress,  the  war,  severe  as  it  had  been,  had  nevertheless 
fostered  a  roving,  restless  spirit,  and  in  the  higher  classes 
a  desire  for  foreign  luxuries ;  while,  at  the  same  time,  it 
had  nearly  destroyed  all  foreign  commerce.  Money  was 
almost  the  only  export ;  and  so  fast  as  application  to  busi 
ness  returned,  and  was  directed  to  the  restoration  of  com 
mercial  intercourse  with  Europe,  the  country  was  drained 
of  its  specie,  to  bring  home  to  the  rich  what  the  poor 
could  scarcely  look  through  their  needs  to  covet. 

In  this  state  of  things  law-suits  were  numerous  and  dis 
tressing  ;  ancl  lawyers  multiplied  as  their  trade  flourished, 
until  both  courts  and  lawyers  came  to  be  looked  upon  by 
the  suffering,  as  enemies  to  the  public  welfare ;  and  this, 
not  in  Massachusetts  only,  but  in  several  other  states  of  the 
Union.  But  we  have  only  to  do  now  with  the  disturban 
ces  which  convulsed  our  own  Commonwealth,  and  spread 
terror  once  more  among  our  own  families. 

At  first,  peaceable  measures  were  resorted  to  :  the  Legis 
lature  was  petitioned,  and  tradesmen  or  farmers,  rather 
than  lawyers,  were  chosen  to  represent  the  people.  But 
what  could  the  Legislature  do  ?  It  could  not  create  funds, 
nor  pass  sumptuary  laws  to  restrain  the  expenses  of  the 


OR,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.          187 

rich  ;  nor  declare  a  gregarian  statute  :  and  the  proposal  to 
issue  a  paper  currency  which  should  systematically  depre 
ciate,  was  discarded  as  unjust,  and  impolitic.  Efforts  were 
made,  which  we  must  not  stop  to  enumerate ;  but  "  the 
destruction  of  the  poor  is  their  poverty."  Those  who 
called  loudest  for  reform,  were  the  very  persons  whose 
straitened  circumstances  had  shut  them  out  from  the  means 
of  gaining  a  clear  and  far  sighted  understanding  of  the  . 
difficulties  under  which  they  labored.  There  were  others, 
whose  wishes  had  been  overruled  in  the  House  to  their 
chagrin,  and  who  were  ready  to  lead  on  the  multitude  to 
rebellion,  in  the  hope  of  gaining  triumphs  for  themselves  ; 
but  there  wras  still  a  nobler  band  wrho  pitied  the-  distress 
which  they  had  not  power  to  relieve.  They  felt  that  the 
discontented  were  struggling  like  the  drowsy  invalid,  igno- 
rantly,  and  hopelessly,  and  they  urged  that  it  was  but  the 
impulse  of  misery,  which  should  be  quieted  with  the  most 
compassionate  care.  They  therefore  refused  to  take  up 
arms  against  their  fellow  citizens,  preferring  the  fine  to 
what  they  deemed  a  sin.  Others  again,  particularly  royal 
ists,  looked  with  an  illy  concealed  pleasure  upon  the  dis 
content,  as  an  argument  in  favor  of  a  less  republican  form 
of  government.  The  Senate  too  were  disposed  to  show 
the  utmost  clemency  ;  and  the  evil  had  every  opportunity 
to  form,  and  gather  strength  before  any  force  to  oppose  it 
could  be  raised,  and  depended  upon. 

The  counties  of  Hampshire  and  Berkshire  felt  that  they 
were  appraised  too  high,  and,  of  course,  paid  more  than 
their  share  of  the  taxes ;  so  that  they  raised  one  complaint 
above  the  usual  number.  Still  the  Convention  of  the  mal 
contents  of  Berkshire,  held  in  Lenox,  the  last  of  August, 
1786,  was  distinguished  for  its  moderation,  its  just  praise 
of  the  efforts  of  Government  for  their  relief,  its  respect 
for  the  young  Republic,  its  dissent  to  a  depreciating  cur 
rency,  and  its  solemn  pledge  to  do  all  in  the  power  of  the 
members  to  support  the  Counts  of  Justice,  and  to  allay  the 
prevailing  agitation.  Had  these  principles  but  withstood 
the  popular  tide,  our  county  might  have  been  spared  the 
horrors  of  civil  war  ;  but  they  did  not,  and  Berkshire,  and 
(we  must  confess  it,)  even  Stockbridge  men  were  among 
the  insurgents. 

Passing  over  events  which  occurred  in  other  parts  of  the 


188  STOCKBRIDGE,   PAST   AND    PRESENT; 

State,  and  simply  mentioning  the  persuasive  of  the  Gov 
ernment  to  peace,  which  was  ordered  to  be  read  in  all  the 
churches  either  upon  Thanksgiving  Day,  or  at  some  other 
meeting  called  for  religious  worship  during  the  week — a 
part  of  the  "  exercises"  which  must  have  produced  a  sen 
sation  in  the  audience  difficult  for  us  now  to  conceive, — 
the  offer  of  pardon  to  all  who  would  take  the  oath  of  alle 
giance  before  the  first  of  January,  1787,  and  the  threat  of 
arrest  and  imprisonment,  without  bail  or  mainprise,  be 
tween  January  and  July,  in  case  of  refusal  or  neglect  of 
this  mercy,  and  the  regular  opening  of  the  war  by  the  in 
surgents,  we  will  now  confine  our  attention  to  the  scenes 
which  transpired  in  our  own  immediate  neighborhood. 

A  party  of  the  insurgents  had  assembled  at  Barrington 
during  the  autumn  of  1786,  broken  up  the  court,  opened 
the  jail,  &c.,  and  again,  still  later,  with  the  intent  of  op 
posing  the  Supreme  Court,  notwithstanding  its  session  had 
been  abandoned  on  their  account ;  and  finding  nothing  in 
their  ordinary  line  of  business  to  be  done,  they  searched 
houses,  fired  upon  some  of  the  citizens,  pursued  such  as 
were  particularly  obnoxious  to  them,  and  threatened  the 
life  of  Judge  Sedgwick  of  this  town.  Early  in  the  year 
1787,  Eli  Parsons  had  400  Berkshire  men  under  his 
command  ;  and  after  the  intelligence  of  this  open  violence, 
alarm  had  spread  throughout  the  community.  The  papers 
of  Judge  Sedgwick  were  deposited  for  safe  keeping  in  the 
house  of  Dr.  West,  and  money  belonging  to  President  Ed 
wards,  the  younger,  was  buried  in  his  garden.  Neighbors 
distrusted  each  other.  Property,  and  even  life  was  felt  to 
be  in  hourly  danger ;  and  each  man,  still  true  to  his  coun 
try,  wras  afraid  to  take  the  field,  lest  vengeance  should  be 
immediately  visited  upon  his  family  by  some  insurgent  in 
his  vicinity.  During  the  winter,  eight  sleigh  loads  of 
provisions  were  intercepted  at  one  time,  sent  from  this 
county  to  the  rebel  army*  February  15,  Parsons  put  out 
a  circular,  calling  upon  his  %  fellow  sufferers  to  resent  un 
to  relentless  blood,"  and  to  collect  in  Berkshire  for  the  pur 
pose  "  of  Burgoyning  Lincoln  and  his  army  ;"  and  it  had 
been  already  made  manifest  to  the  citizens  of  Berkshire 
that  they  had  those  in  their  midst  who,  to  the  utmost  of 
their  courage,  would  stand  side  by  side  with  such  leaders. 
But  there  was  one  mitigation ;  they  all,  to  a  man>  were 


OR,   ERCORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.  189 

afraid  of  being  killed,  or  even  wounded.     They  fought  for 
gold ;  and  for  that  it  would  be  useless  to  part  with  life. 

During  the  winter,  the  disaffected  of  this  vicinity  who 
had  not  joined  the  main  body  took  up  arms  at  home,  and  it 
was  anticipated  that  in  case  the  army  was  defeated  in  the 
eastern  and  middle  counties,  they  would,  by  the  aid  of  the 
home  force,  take  possession  of  the  fastnesses  of  the  Green 
Mountains  at  the  east  of  us,  and  spread  desolation  through 
the  county.  Under  these  circumstances,  the  citizens  band 
ed  together  for  mutual  defense,  and  a  company  of  500 
men  was  formed.  Stockbridge  was  chosen  as  the  head 
quarters,  sentinels  stood  on  guard,  or  patrolled  our  streets 
at  night,  demanding  the  "  pass"  of  every  one,  and  armed 
soldiers,  among  whom  George  Kirkland  is  mentioned  as 
conspicuous,  attended  the  religious  services  of  the  Sab 
bath.  In  Sheffield  a  company  was  formed,  but  so  great 
was  the  danger  that  they  did  not  venture  to  come  up  until 
another  company  from  Barrington  went  down  and  joined 
them.  Muddy  Brook  or  Barrington  Hollow,  and  similar 
localities,  were  the  hives  from  which  the  enemy  issued, 
and  in  which  the  friends  of  order  were  in  greatest  danger ; 
and  the  road  then  took  this  direction.  It  was  not  long  be 
fore  a  band  of  rebels  had  collected  at  West  Stockbridge 
under  the  command  of  Hubbard,  amounting  to  between 
150  and  200  men,  and  the  number  was  continually  increas 
ing.  The  only  way  to  prevent  bloodshed  was  to  disperse 
them  as  early  as  possible.  The  army  at  Stockbridge  was 
duly  authorized  to  act  independently,  government  having 
requested  the  citizens  to  defend  themselves,  as  far  as  it 
could  be  done,  without  calling  upon  the  public  force.  Ac 
cordingly  the  whole  body  was  formed  into  three  divisions, 
and  while  the  central  took  the  direct  route  through  Lara- 
waugh,  #nd  over  the  mountain,  to  the  village,  a  second,  un 
der  Capt.  Goodrich,  took  the  southern,  and  the  third,  under 
Major  Rowley  of  Richmond,  took  a  more  northern  route. 
As  an  advance  party  of  the  central  division,  consisting  of 
37  infantry,  and  7  cavalry,  approached  the  insurgents,  they 
were  fired  upon  by  the  sentries,  and  the  whole  rebel  force 
was  at  once  formed  in  order  of  battle,  and  commanded  to 
fire.  But  before  this  little  band  of  their  fellow  citizens, 
they  faltered ;  and  Judge  Sedgwick,  taking  advantage  of 
the  favorable  moment,  rode  up  in  front  of  the  ranks,  and 
9* 


190  STOCKBRIDGE,  PAST  AND   PRESENT  ; 

ordered  them  to  lay  down  their  arms.  Many  obeyed  ;  oth 
ers  fled  ;  a  scattering  fire  occupied  a  few  minutes,  and  two 
insurgents  were  wounded,  but  no  one  was  killed.  The 
other  soldiers  from  the  north  and  south  came  in  to  aid  in 
securing  the  prisoners,  84  in  number,  including  their  lead 
er.  These  were  placed  under  guard  in  Stockbridge,  and 
the  troops  meantime  traversed  the  country.  A  second 
offer  of  pardon  to  all  who  would  lay  down  their  arms  and 
take  the  oath  of  allegiance  had  been  made,  and  the  greater 
part  of  these  prisoners  soon  availed  themselves  of  it,  and 
were  released. 

Still,  the  spirit  of  discontent  had  not  been  laid,  and  quiet 
was  not  at  all  restored.  A  force  collected  at  Adams,  and 
on  being  dispersed  by  the  approach  of  Gen.  Patterson, 
made  an  attempt  to  collect  at  Williamstown.  Many  had 
assembled  at  Washington,  and  Berkshire  County  was  in 
a  state  of  open,  bitter,  civil  war,  with  no  human  protection 
in  the  field  or  at  the  fireside,  save  the  cowardice  of  the  foe. 
February  5,  Gen.  Patterson  wrote  to  Gen.  Lincoln  at 
Petersham,  for  aid  from  the  main  army.  Gen.  Lincoln 
returned  answer  on  the  6th,  that  the  defeat  of  Shays  on 
the  Sabbath  morning  previous  had  left  him  at  liberty  to 
remove  his  army  to  Berkshire,  which  he  would  do  without 
delay.  "I  shall,"  he  writes,  "commence  my  march  to 
morrow  morning.  No  time  will  be  lost  in  throwing  a  very 
sufficient  force  into  your  county.  I  shall  have  the  pleas 
ure  to  come  with  the  troops.  Take  some  strong  post,  un 
til  I  can  relieve  you."  To  this  he  added  the  direction,  in 
case  a  previous  attack  was  deemed  advisable,  that  the  in 
surgents  should  be  duly  warned  of  their  danger  as  open 
and  avowed  enemies  of  the  government :  a  direction  which 
there  was  opportunity  to  obey. 

Before  the  army  of  Lincoln  could  reach  the  county,  a 
party  of  insurgents,  two  hundred  and  fifty  in  number,  col 
lected  at  Lee,  with  the  design  of  preventing  the  sitting  of 
Courts.  A  company  of  three  hundred  militia  marched  to 
oppose  them ;  but  having  obtained  a  yarn-beam  from  the 
loom  of  Mrs.  Perry,  the  rebels  mounted  it  as  a  cannon, 
and  thus  procured  more  favorable  terms,  submitting  only 
upon  condition  that  the  militia  would  use  their  influence  to 
procure  for  them  a  trial  within  their  own  county,  in  case 
they  were  pursued  by  government. 


OR,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.         191 

When  General  Lincoln  reached  Pittsficld,  which  he  was 
to  make  his  head-quarters,  the  volunteer  army  disbanded, 
and  returned  to  their  dwellings  ;  and  the  service  of  the 
detached  militia  closed  on  the  21st.  The  new  troops  en 
listed  did  not  all  come  in  at  once,  a  band  was  sent  against 
the  rebels  in  Williamstown,  who  took  fourteen  prisoners, 
and  another  against  those  in  Dalton,  who  took  six ;  and  at 
one  time  Lincoln  numbered,  at  head-quarters,  only  about 
thirty  men.  Providentially  the  rebels  either  did  not  know 
of  his  situation,  or  they  were  not  prepared  to  take  advan 
tage  of  it. 

But  the  circular  of  Eli  Parsons,  dated  February  15, 
1787,  to  which  allusion  has  been  made,  was  doubtless 
working  like  leaven  in  the  restless  mass,  and  a  body  of 
eighty  or  ninety,  under  Captain  Perez  Hamlin,  were  in 
the  vicinity  of  New  Lebanon,  lurking  and  longing  for 
mischief,  "  determined,"  as  Parsons  expressed  it,  "  to  carry 
their  point,  if  fire,  blood  and  carnage  would  effect  it." 
Parsons  himself  was  probably  with  the  other  division  at 
Pownal.  On  the  26th,  Captain  Holcomb  marched  from 
Sheffield  to  Pittsfield  at  the  head  of  a  company  of  drafted 
men,  with  the  best  arms  which  could  be  obtained.  This 
left  the  Southern  part  of  the  county  more  open,  while  at 
the  same  time  it  increased  the  danger  of  the  insurgents  at 
Pownal  and  Lebanon.  About  eight  in  the  evening,  Mon 
day,  26th,  Mrs.  Tucker,  mother  of  Mr.  Stephen  Tucker, 
who  lived  in  the  house  now  owned  by  Mr.  Brinton,  step 
ped  out  at  her  door,  and  heard  a  horseman  who  was  pass 
ing  say  to  his  fellow  traveler,  "Now  is  our  time  to  come 
in."  Not  suspecting  who  they  were,  she  gave  no  alarm ; 
but  the  sequel  led  her  to  suppose  that  they  were  insur 
gents. 

The  next  morning,  February  27,  1787,  just  as  the  day 
broke,  a  party  of  men  wrere  seen  inarching  through  Lara- 
waugh  towards  the  village.  Halting  at  the  public  house, 
then  kept  by  Mrs.  Bingham,  parties  were  formed  for  pil 
lage,  and  sent  in  either  direction.  Esquire  Jahleel  Wood- 
bridge  lived  in  the  house  now  owned  by  D.  D.  Field,  Esq. 
"My  first  recollection,"  says  the  Rev.  Timothy  Wood- 
bridge,  D.  D.,  "  is  a  belligerent  one.  The  first  thing  I 
remember,  is  waking  in  the  night,  and  seeing  a  number  of 
brutal  soldiers,  with  their  green  boughs,"  (the  insignia  of 


192  STOCKBR1DGE,  PAST    AND  PRESENT  ; 

rebellion,)  "  waving  over  the  bed  where  my  father  and  I 
lay.  The  dreadful  gleam  of  their  arms  was  reflected  by 
the  burning  lights  in  the  room.  They  demanded  the  sur 
render  of  my  father,  and  I  shrieked  in  an  agony  of  terror ; 
and  my  father  passed  me  between  the  guns  to  the  arms  of 
my  sister.  This  is  the  first  memory  this  poor  world  has 
left  engraven  upon  my  heart."  They  plundered  the  house 
"  most  unsparingly." 

When  this  party  reached  the  house  of  Deacon  Inger- 
soll,  which  was  probably  on  their  return  from  plundering 
the  dwellings  in  the  east  part  of  the  village,  the  good  man 
was  engaged  in  family  devotion ;  the  terror  and  confusion 
having  driven  him  into,  and  not,  as  is  too  often  the  case, 
out  of  the  Ark  of  safety.  They  entered  the  porch  tumul- 
tuously,  and  were  on  the  threshold,  when  Mrs.  Ingersoll, 
bethinking  herself  of  a  very  vulnerable  point,  handed  to 
them  a  bottle  of  brandy  j  and  they  immediately,  like 
lucky  chickens  in  the  farm-yard,  ran  off  with  their 
precious  booty. 

The  party  sent  down  South  street,  passed  some  of  the 
houses,  seemingly,  in  their  eagerness  to  secure  Mr.  Ira 
Seymour,  who  resided  in  the  building  occupied  by  Mr.  H. 
Goodrich.  Mr.  Seymour,  however,  escaped,  but  without 
a  shoe  to  protect  his  feet  from  the  snow. 

Another  party  took  the  road  over  the  Hill.  The  first 
house  which  they  entered  was  that  of  Capt.  Jones.  They 
entered  the  sleeping  apartment  of  all,  asking  of  males  and 
females  if  they  had  "  any  arms  ?  "  Two  stopped  for  a  few 
minutes  to  chat  with  the  hired  woman,  and  the  first  object 
which  met  the  sight  of  the  youngest  daughter,  who  slept 
with  her,  was  their  '•  green  boughs  and  gleaming  arms." 

From  the  list  made  out  by  Capt.  Jones,  of  "  military 
stores "  taken  away,  they  would  seem  to  have  been  paid 
for  their  trouble  ;  but  the  greatest  treasure  stolen  was  the 
belt  of  wampum  given  him  by  the  Indians  as  a  token  of 
friendship,  and  which  he  could  never  recover.  The  pris 
oners  taken  were  Capt.  Jones,  his  two  sons,  (Josiah  and 
William),  an  old  negro  who  was  laboring  by  the  day,  and 
a  young  man  who  had  long  desired  to  exchange  his  voca 
tion  as  hired  servant  for  that  of  a  free  ranger  in  Shays' 
army.  He  assured  the  men  that  he  was  of  their  own 
creed,  and  was  happy  to  unite  with  them.  He  wore  no 


OR,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.          193 

white  paper  in  his  hat,  and  only  coveted  the  green  bough. 
But  his  enlistment  came  too  late ;  he  was  not  believed,  and 
was  driven  off  with  the  others.  At  the  corner,  Josiah 
procured  the  release  of  old  Backus,  on  account  of  his 
lameness,  which  would  render  him  a  burden,  and  when 
they  had  reached  the  village,  he  plead  off  his  brother 
because  of  his  youth. 

The  next  house  visited  was  that  of  Dr.  Sergeant.  There 
they  broke  into  the  chamber  of  Miss  Mercy  Scott,  a  noted 
seamstress,  at  the  time  in  the  family,  and  stole  her  silver 
shoe-buckles.  As  prisoners,  they  took  Dr.  Sergeant,  Dr. 
Partridge,  Hopkins  and  Catlin,  (two  medical  students,) 
and  Moses  Lynch,  (lately  deceased,)  and  another  hired 
man.  Lynch  was  sent  to  Dr.  West's  to  borrow  a  loaf  of 
bread,  for  the  enemy  had  no  provisions  for  their  captives, 
and  as  he  took  down  his  hat,  one  of  the  insurgents  asked 
why  he  wore  "  that  white  paper  ?  "  "  Why  do  you  wear 
that  green  bough  ?  "  asked  Mr.  Lynch.  With  an  oath,  the 
enraged  soldier  thrust  his  bayonet  at  him ;  but,  perhaps 
intentionally,  it  struck  the  wall  by  his  side. 

From  Dr.  Sergeant's,  they  went  on  to  Gen.  Ashley's,  a 
guard  being  probably  left  with  each  company  of  prisoners. 
Gen.  Ashley  was  taken ;  but  Dr.  West  was  unmolested. 
Some  think  they  did  not  venture  to  intrude  there ;  but 
they  had  not  time  to  show  their  daring,  being  recalled  to 
prepare  for  the  march  south. 

When  the  party  came  to  the  little  stream  at  the  foot  of 
the  hill,  the  young  Shayite,  feeling  delighted  at  finding 
himself  in  the  army  of  "  the  people,"  or  proud  and  happy 
to  be  "  on  the  side  of  the  hangman,"  while  those  who  had 
restrained  him  were  in  captivity,  commenced  dancing  and 
singing  in  merriest  style.  But  his  captors  were  still  faith 
less,  and  they  asked  no  songs  of  their  victims.  A  thrust 
at  his  breast  with  the  breech  of  a  gun,  silenced  his  mirth, 
and  nearly  drove  the  breath  from  his  body.  Nothing  more 
was  heard  from  him  of  the  people's  rights. 

One  band  entered  the  store  of  Esquire  Edwards,  not  for 
arms,  but  for  spiritous  liquors ;  and  from  the  office  of 
Judge  Sedgwick  they  took  Ephraim  Williams,  Esq.,  and 
Henry  Hopkins  prisoners,  besides  a  quantity  of  linen  from 
the  drawers.  But  at  the  house  of  Judge  Sedgwick,  the 
one  now  occupied  by  Mr.  Carter,  they  found  one  who  was 


194  STOCKBRIDGE,   PAST  AND  PRESENT; 

prepared  for  them,  —  Elizabeth  Freeman,  —  generally 
known  as  "  Mum  Bett."  She  allowed  them  to  search  the 
drawers,  knowing  that  the  valuable  papers  were  on  the 
hill,  and  the  silver  all  in  her  own  chest,  and  to  run  their 
bayonets  under  the  beds  and  into  the  dark  corners  to  find 
Judge  Sedgwick,  for  he,  too,  was  absent.  But  she  for 
bade  all  wanton  destruction  of  property;  and  arming 
herself  with  the  kitchen  shovel,  no  light  weapon  in  those 
days,  she  escorted  them  to  the  cellar,  jeering  them  at  her 
pleasure,  and  assuring  them  that  they  dared  not  strike  a 
woman.  When  one  of  them,  wishing  for  a  share  of  the 
"  gentleman's "  cheer,  broke  off  the  neck  of  a  demijohn, 
she  offered  to  serve  them  like  gentlemen,  but  declared  that 
the  next  one  who  uselessly  destroyed  a  vessel,  should  be 
instantly  leveled  by  her  shovel.  They  affected  to  scorn 
the  bitter  liquor,  and  left  the  remainder  for  "  gentlemen 
who  drank  such  stuff." 

On  searching  the  chambers,  and  entering  Betty's,  one 
pointed  to  her  chest,  and  asked  what  that  was.  "  Oh,  you 
had  better  search  that,"  she  replied,  "  an  old  nigger's  chest ! 
you  are  such  gentlemen  ;  you  had  better  search  that, — the 
old  nigger's,  as  you  call  me  ; "  and  thus  she  shamed  them 
quite  out  of  it,  and  saved  the  silver. 

Judge  Sedgwick  had  a  fine  gray  horse  which  Betty  was 
fond  of  riding.  This  the  insurgents  led  out,  and  one  of 
them  mounted  it,  and  attempted  to  ride.  But  the  horse 
did  not  fancy  its  rider's  manners,  and  as  he  was  passing 
the  well,  threw  him  off.  It  was  probably  at  this  juncture 
that  Betty  seized  the  halter,  and  leading  the  horse  to  the 
gate,  gave  a  blow  which  she  thought  would  drive  her 
favorite  beyond  the  reach  of  its  pursuers.  Thus  far,  says 
one  of  the  family,  Mum  Bett  was  very  fond  of  telling  the 
story ;  but  the  sequel  she  was  not  so  ready  to  relate.  The 
horse  was  recaptured,  and  never  returned.  After  they 
had  left  the  house  one  insurgent  was  obliged  to  return  for 
a  pair  of  boots,  needed  by  one  of  the  prisoners ;  and  with 
the  boots  he  took  one  more  of  Betty's  jeers.  "  Who  is 
it  ?  "  asked  Mrs.  Sedgwick  ;  "  who  are  these  people,  Betty  ? 

you  seem  to  know  them."  "  Why,  it's  nobody  but  Jim , 

from ,"  (naming  a  degraded  region,)  "  the  fellow  that 

came  along  peddling  brooms, — miserable  things,  —  they 
are  all  in  the  cellar  now ;  I  never  could  use  one  of  them." 


OH,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.  195 

At  the  house  of  Asa  Bement,  Jr.,  they  were  very  vio 
lent  ;  and  seeing  a  lad  who  lived  in  the  family,  on  horse 
back,  with  a  white  paper  in  his  hat,  they  started  in  pursuit, 
and  fired  upon  him.  The  boy  left  the  horse  and  fled  to 
the  house  of  the  elder  Mr.  Bement,  a  few  rods  distant. 
The  insurgents  were  recalled  for  their  march  just  before 
they  reached  that  dwelling. 

When  the  prisoners  had  been  generally  brought  in,  we 
learn  from  Mr.  Tucker,  an  eye-witness,  that  they  were 
paraded  in  front  of  what  is  now  the  new  grave-yard. 
While  there,  Nathaniel  Lynch,  Asa  Bement,  Jr.,  George 
Kirkland,  and  Ned  Monday,  a  colored  man,  came  up. 
Lynch  threatened  to  fire,  and  put  his  threat  in  execution, 
— but  with  regard  to  the  exact  circumstance  there  is  a  dis 
agreement.  Immediately  they  were  pursued.  Kirkland 
leaped  the  fence,  and  crossed  the  grave-yard  to  Mr.  Tuck 
er's.  One  of  the  daughters  stepped  to  the  door  and 
warned  him  that  there  was  a  "  Shays  man "  within. 
"  Here,"  said  "  Little  Pete,"  on  overhearing  the  remark, 
uttering  at  the  same  time  an  imprecation,  "  I'll  take  care 
of  him  ; "  and  rushing  out,  he  seized  the  bridle  of  George's 
horse,  and  with  a  pistol  pointed  at  his  breast,  ordered  him 
to  surrender.  There  was  no  resisting,  and  George  was 
led  back  to  the  line.  But  "  Pete  S.,"  who  was  a  German 
soldier,  lately  settled  in  West  Stockbridge,  mounted  the 
beautiful  steed,  and  started  for  Vermont  or  Canada.  He 
was  not  seen  here  again  for  twenty  years.  Asa  Bement 
and  Lynch  were  pursued  to  the  swamp  near  the  residence 
of  the  former,  and  as  might  be  expected,  fired  upon.  But 
they  were  not  seriously  injured,  and,  it  is  believed,  not 
wounded  at  all. 

All  being  ready,  the  prisoners  were  marched  to  Bar- 
rington ;  but  several  of  Shays'  party  were  left  behind,  too 
drunk  to  walk  ;  and  such  had  been  the  haste  and  confusion, 
that  Mrs.  Bingham  had  safely  secreted  Capt.  Jones  in  a 
trap-door  closet,  behind  the  large,  old  fashioned  chimney, 
without  his  being  missed.  It  is  believed,  also,  that  Gen. 
Ashley  had  been  sent  home  by  Hamlin,  who  expressed 
regret  at  seeing  a  fellow  officer  of  the  Revolution  in  his 
hands  as  a  prisoner. 

The  house  of  Mr.  Benjamin  Willard,  in  Goodrich  street, 
had  not  been  molested,  and  as  the  army  came  in  sight, 


196  STOCKBRIDGE,  PAST  AND  PRESENT  ; 

Elias,  his  son,  started  with  a  neighbor,  Mr.  Waldo,  to  give 
the  alarm  in  Barrington.  Richard  Edwards  also  left  for 
Pittsfield,  to  notify  Gen.  Lincoln  of  the  state  of  affairs. 
But,  of  course,  no  concerted  plan  of  action  could  be 
entered  into  at  once;  and  there  seems  no  question  that 
several  voluntary  expresses  hastened  to  put  the  southern 
towns  of  the  county  upon  their  guard.  A  Mr  Ruey  who 
lived  as  neighbor  to  Mr.  I.  Seymour,  and  had  been  of  the 
rebel  party,  but  had  been  lately  brought  over  to  the  side 
of  order,  harnessed  his  horses  and  started  in  their  rear. 
Supposing  him  to  be  a  true  friend,  they  suffered  him  to 
pass.  It  is  claimed  for  him,  though  not  at  all  to  his  credit, 
that  standing  erect  in  his  sleigh,  he  first  wore  up  his  whip, 
and  then  drew  his  ramrod,  and  used  that  instead.  The 
same  circumstance  is  related  of  two  others ;  but  is  not 
allowed  by  their  descendants ;  and  though  there*  is  much 
reason  to  fear  that  those  were  gloomy  days  for  beast  as 
well  as  man,  it  was  evidently  an  unusual  act,  and  com 
mitted  only  once  ;  and  we  are  happy  to  say  that  no  one 
now  owns  it  as  the  act  of  his  father.  It  shows  the  reck 
lessness  of  cruelty  which  those  scenes  of  civil  strife  had 
engendered.  When  a  man  of  previous  good  standing  in 
society,  could  rise  up  in  a  meeting  of  his  fellow  townsmen 
and  declare — "  I  am  ready  to-day  to  fight  my  neighbor  " — 
a  home  fact  for  us,  and  not  a  fancy, — the  heart  must  have 
been  steeled  against  kindness,  and  mercy,  and  even  the 
barest  humanity.  And  these  facts  must  be  taken  into  con 
sideration  before  we  can  justly  appreciate  the  horrors  of 
that  morning.  Such  was  the  known  cowardice  of  the  reb 
els  that  there  was  little  danger  to  an  army  who  should 
meet  them  in  the  open  field.  Some  few  in  the  front  rank 
might  fall ;  yet  those  behind  were  sure  of  a  surrender  or 
flight  before  it  came  their  turn.  But  here  was  a  band  of 
defenceless  men,  in  the  hands  of  well  armed  and  brutal 
soldiers  who  thirsted  for  their  blood.  Some  families  had 
parted  with  every  adult  male,  and  others  had  seen  hus 
bands,  fathers,  brothers,  and  sons  driven  off,  perhaps 
to  early  and  cruel  slaughter ;  and  those  who  were  thus 
torn  from  their  homes,  knew  not  what  other  ruthless 
band,  might,  before  evening,  lay  their  dwellings  in  ashes, 
and  subject  their  unprotected  inmates  to  all  that  revenge 
could  wish  to  perpetrate.  "  Fire,  blood,  and  carnage," 


OR,   RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.  197 

had  been  given  out  as  the  order  of  the  day,  until  the  end 
was  gained ;  and  we  withhold  just  sympathy  from  our  sires 
when  we  judge  of  the  whole  of  February  27,  1787,  by  the 
hilarity  of  its  close. 

Other  parties  were  soon  fitted  out  to  follow  the  captors. 
Mr.  Abel  Curtis  had  been  of  the  malcontent  opinion ;  but 
having  turned  his  coat  to  its  better  side,  with  characteris 
tic  boldness  and  frankness,  he  had  risen  in  church  the  Sab 
bath  previous,  and  made  an  open  recantation.  This  was 
unknown  to  his  former  friends,  not  distinguished  for  church 
going  habits,  and  he,  too,  was  permitted  to  pass  the  army 
without  opposition.  Mr.  Whittlesey,  also,  and  Major 
Elnathan  Curtis,  are  mentioned  as  driving  down  at  the 
utmost  speed,  in  company  with  Lynch,  and  others ;  but  at 
a  later  hour,  and  possibly  as  a  portion  of  the  regular  mil 
itia.  Stephen  Tucker  gave  notice  at  Mr.  Kirkland's  of 
of  the  fate  of  George,  and  John,  his  twin  brother,  after 
wards  President  of  Harvard,  answered  that  if  they  had 
his  brother,  they  should  have  him ;  and  he  joined  the  mil 
itia  in  the  pursuit. 

Captain  Stoddard  had  started  for  the  village  with  his 
two  horses,  and  was  passing  the  house  of  Dr.  West,  when 
the  Dr.  hailed  him,  and  informed  him  that  "the  plain  was 
full  of  Shayites."  Captain  Stoddard  instantly  turned  his 
horses,  and  giving  the  alarm  at  every  house  as  he  passed, 
he  rallied  his  militia  band,  and  followed  with  all  possible 
haste. 

On  reaching  Barrington,  the  belligerents  halted  at  the 
public  house,  then  kept  by  Mr.  Bement,  brother  of  Asa 
Bement  sen.,  of  Stockbridge,  and  called  first,  of  course, 
for  spiritous  liquors.  Next,  they  wished  to  examine  the 
jail,  which  was  attached  to  the  house,  to  see  if  the  cells 
were  of  sufficient  strength  to  hold  their  prisoners  when 
they  should  be  ready  to  store  them  there.  All  debtors  in 
the  cells  also  were  set  at  liberty.  As  Mrs.  Bement  went 
with  the  officers  and  opened  one  cell  after  another,  she 
sung,  with  deep  feeling,  but  with  apparent  unconcern,  the 
hymn  containing  these  lines — 

"  Ye  living  men,  come  view  the  ground 
Where  you  must  shortly  He." 

The  people  of  Barrington,  having  taken  the  alarm,  lit 
tle  could  be  done  in  the  way  of  plunder  there ;  and  the 


198  STOCKBRIDGE,   PAST   AND    PRESENT  ; 

information  had  been  carried  to  Sheffield,  so  that  it  would 
be  unsafe  marching  thither.  The  government  friends  in 
that  place  met  at  the  center;  and  "being  joined  by  Cap 
tains  Dwight  and  Ingersoll,  and  a  small  company  from 
Barrington  who  had  fled  before  the  insurgents,"  they 
were  ready,  about  1  o'clock  P.  M.,  to  march  North  against 
the  foe,  then  reported  to  be  coming  down  with  their  pris 
oners.  But  as  it  was  soon  believed  that  they  were  turn 
ing  West,  and  endeavoring  to  escape  from  the  county 
through  Egremont,  Colonel  Ashley  turned  to  the  left,  and 
taking  a  "back  road,"  drove  rapidly  toward  the  residence 
of  Francis  Hare  in  that  town.  Scarcely  had  his  company 
passed  the  brook  North  of  the  quarry,  when  it  was  found 
that  the  insurgents  had  also  taken  the  back  road,  and  hear 
ing  of  the  government  forces,  had,  with  unusual  daring, 
turned,  like  them,  at  Archer  Saxton's,  and  were  now  in  the 
rear  in  pursuit  of  them.  A  halt  was  at  once  made,  the 
sleighs  were  thrown  out  of  the  way,  and  an  effort  made  to 
form.  After  some  confusion,  Captain  Goodrich  led  the 
Sheffield  company  rapidly  through  a  lot  of  girdled  trees 
on  the  West  side  of  the  road,  and  Captain  Ingersoll  advan 
ced  with  the  Barrington  company,  through  a  wood  on  the 
East,  some  fifty  or  sixty  rods,  engaging  in  a  scattering  fire 
during  the  course.  By  this  time  they  had  come  up  with  a 
considerable  body  of  the  enemy,  and  a  well  directed  fire 
from  eight  or  ten  who  were  foremost,  immediately  put  them 
to  flight.  The  whole  party  fled  in  every  direction.  Other 
parties  of  government  men  soon  came  in,  and  among  them 
one  from  Lenox  under  Captain  William  Walker,  and  pris 
oners  were  taken  to  the  number  of  between  fifty  and  sixty. 
More  than  thirty  were  wounded,  one  of  whom  was  Ham- 
lin,  the  Captain,  and  two  were  killed.  A  third,  named 
Rathbun,  died  sometime  afterward  from  his  wounds. 

In  marching,  the  prisoners  were  of  course  placed  in  the 
center  of  the  army.  The  meeting  was  sudden ;  the  reb 
els  were  in  the  road,  and  the  government  party  in  the 
woods  on  each  side.  The  firing  was  therefore  not  exactly 
in  front,  and  was  over  before  there  was  much  opportunity 
to  attack  the  insurgents  in  flank.  There  could  have  been 
little  or  no  opportunity  to  form,  and  place  the  prisoners 
between  the  two  armies,  as  has  generally  been  represent 
ed.  The  fact,  in  the.  opinion  of  Mr.  Jones,  was  simply 


OR,  RECORDS  OP  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.          199 

this :  that  being  startled  by  the  attack,  the  insurgents,  in 
their  terror,  slunk  behind  the  prisoners  to  load,  and  ran 
too  soon  to  resume  a  front  position. 

Mr.  Jones  was  placed,  in  the  line,  beside  the  grandson 
of  the  2d  Mrs.  Josiah  Jones,  (immigrant,)  named  Solomon 
Gleazen,  at  the  time  village  school-master.  Seeing  their 
position,  Mr.  Gleazen  said  to  Mr.  Jones  —  "  Let's  run." 
They  instantly  started,  but  as  they  leaped  the  fence,  Mr. 
Gleazen  received  a  ball  in  his  chin,  which  passing  into  the 
throat,  produced  a  death  wound.  He  fell  into  the  brush, 
and  Mr.  Jones,  dropping  beside  him,  took  his  head  upon 
his  knee,  and  supported  it  until  life  was  extinct. 

One  other  individual  of  the  government  party  was  kill 
ed,  a  Mr.  Porter  of  Barrington,  who  was  taken,  a  corpse, 
to  his  home  before  his  wife  had  received  any  intimation  of 
his  fall.  Dr.  Burghardt  of  Richmond,  who  was  in  the 
company  of  Captain  Walker,  was  wounded  by  a  shot  from 
a  small  party  whom  they  encountered  before  they  reached 
the  field  of  action.  These  made  up  the  amount  of  "killed 
and  wounded :"  and  yet  this  was  the  most  serious,  the 
most  decisive,  and  the  concluding  action  of  the  "Shays 
War."  One  railroad  accident  would  have  been  more 
fatal ;  and  it  is  not  strange  that  in  general  history  it  is  so 
slightly  passed  over.  Yet  to  Berkshire  county,  and  par 
ticularly  to  Stockbridge,  it  was  not  exceeded,  probably,  by 
the  Revolution  itself,  in  the  distress  and  guilt  which  it 
occasioned.  The  seaports  may  dread  most  a  foreign  in 
vasion  ;  but  our  villages,  and  our  homes,  have  most  to 
deprecate  internal  strife. 

As  soon  as  the  prisoners  were  secured,  those  captives 
who  belonged  to  the  Stockbridge  militia  were  ordered  into 
the  ranks,  and  placed,  with  their  comrades,  under  an  infe 
rior  officer,  while  the  leaders  retired,  probably  into  the 
house  of  Mr.  Hare,  to  hold  a  council  of  war.  One  of 
these  militia  was  Moses  Lynch,  who  speaks  of  engaging 
some  one  to  hold  his  gun  in  due  order,  while  he  ran  to  see 
Gleazen.  After  the  council,  the  whole  company  were 
marched  from  the  field.  The  prisoners  were  taken  first  to 
Barrington ;  and  the  jail  being  filled,  the  surplus  were 
carried,  or  marched,  to  Lenox.  The  Stockbridge  prison 
ers,  as  they  halted  at  the  tavern,  hurried  home  and  collect 
ed  such  cast-off  accoutrements  as  the  insurgents  had  left, 


200  STOCKBRIDGE,   PAST  AND  PRESENT  ; 

and,  with  mock  pomp,  joined  the  escort.  The  line  of 
sleighs  was  a  mile  in  length,  the  rear  not  having 
turned  the  corner  at  Mr.  Tucker's  when  the  front  was 
passing  the  then  new  church.  It  is  said  that  they  did  not 
ascend  the  hill  until  they  turned  up  the  road  entering 
above  Mr.  Hull's. 

As  the  leaders  must  have  expected  to  be  put  to  death  in 
case  they  were  taken,  efforts  were  made  to  raise  a  new 
army,  but  without  success.  The  governors  of  the  neigh 
boring  States  consented  to  expose  those  who  took  shelter 
under  their  administration,  and  the  Governor  of  New 
York  accompanied  an  officer  in  his  search  for  such  as 
might  be  concealed  about  Lebanon,  and  by  September 
quiet  was  so  far  restored  that  it  was  deemed  safe  to  dis 
band  the  army.  Pardon  was  granted  by  General  Lincoln 
and  his  two  associates  to  two  hundred  and  seventy  per 
sons  ;  but  with  some,  it  was  thought  necessary  to  take  a 
more  stringent  course.  Fourteen  were  accordingly  sen 
tenced  to  death  as  guilty  of  treason,  six  of  them  being  cit 
izens  of  Berkshire,  but  none  of  Stockbridge.  But  out  of 
these,  eight  were  pardoned  on  the  thirtieth  of  April,  four 
being  Berkshire  men.  The  punishment  of  the  others  was 
twice  postponed,  and  finally,  those  who  had  not  escaped 
from  prison,  were  pardoned,  one  excepted  in  the  county, 
whose  punishment  was  commuted  to  hard  labor  for  seven 
years.  A  member  of  the  Legislature  who  had  been  con 
victed  of  seditious  words,  was  condemned  to  sit  on  the 
gallows  with  a  rope  about  his  neck,  to  pay  a  fine  of  £50, 
and  to  give  bonds  for  good  behavior  and  keeping  the  peace 
for  five  years. 

But  at  first,  the  rebels  were  not  to  enjoy  the  elective 
franchise  until  the  expiration  of  a  specified  time.  This 
however,  was  found  to  work  unfavorably.  It  was  a  morti 
fication  which  soured  the  feelings ;  and  besides  this,  in 
some  towns  there  were  not  found  a  sufficient  number  of 
loyal  citizens  to  transact  civil  business  as  it  should  be 
done.  They  were  therefore  allowed  to  be  received  at  an 
earlier  period,  upon  promise  of  good  behavior.  The  Gov 
ernor,  Bowdoin,  who  had  given  displeasure  by  insisting 
upon  a  fixed  salary  as  the  only  safe  course,  showed  that  he 
had  not  acted  from  a  regard  to  his  own  interests,  by  retir 
ing  from  office  ;  and  Hancock  was  chosen  in  his  stead.  A 


OR,  RECORDS  OP  AN  OLD   MISSION    STATION.  201 

committee  was  appointed  to  examine  the  legislative  de 
partment  for  the  purpose  of  detecting  any  still  existing 
errors.  Bly  and  Rose  were  executed  at  Lenox  for  burg 
lary,  December  6,  1787  ;  and  so  far  as  human  means  could 
effect  it,  peace  was  restored  to  the  community.  But  God 
alone  could  give  that  internal  peace  which  had  been  so 
cruelly  expelled  from  churches,  neighborhoods  and  fami 
lies,  and  in  some  cases  His  unseen  power  was  till  death 
persistently  despised. 

Reports  have  been  circulated  which  place  the  character 
of  Gleazen  in  an  unfavorable  light,  yet  without  as  much 
foundation  as  such  reports  should  be  able  to  show.  A 
short  time  previous  to  the  battle,  Gleazen  and  Philo,  the 
latter  supposed  to  be  a  Jew,  but  who  had  lately  come  into 
the  town,  were  examining  fire-arms  in  the  street,  when 
Gleazen  pointed  a  pistol  at  Philo,  asking,  "  Will  you  dare 
me  ?"  There  was  no  evidence  that  he  supposed  the  pistol 
to  be  loaded ;  but  so  it  proved,  and  the  ball  entered  the 
chin  of  Philo,  and  passed  into  his  neck,  killing  him  in 
stantly.  Gleazen  was  not  popular  either  in  his  school,  or 
among  the  people  at  large,  and  when,  a  few  days  after 
ward,  he  was  himself  killed  by  a  precisely  similar  wound, 
many  looked  upon  it  as  an  evidence  that  the  former  shot 
had  been  premeditated. 

He  was  brought  to  Stockbridge  for  interment,  and  the 
lady  to  whom  he  was  soon  to  have  been  united  in  mar 
riage,  erected  over  his  grave  a  monumental  slab  with  the 
inscription,  "Oh  for  a  lodge  in  some  vast  wilderness,  &c." 


SECTION    XXXIV. 


COLONIES     FROM     STOCKRRIDGE. 

WEST  Stockbridge  Village  was  commenced  in  17G6,  by 
Colonel  Elijah  Williams  of  this  town,  who  built  the  iron 
works  which  for  a  time  gave  their  name  to  the  place.  The 
other  parts  of  the  town  were  settled  by  persons  from  vari 
ous  places,  a  Mr.  Joseph  Bryant  from  Canaan,  Ct.,  having 
settled  near  the  Northwest  corner,  a  few  months  earlier  in 


202  STOCKBRIDGE,   PAST   AND   PRESENT; 

the  year  than  the  removal  of  Colonel  "Williams  thither. 
Until  its  incorporation,  in  1774,  the  township  was  called 
Queensborough. 

About  three  years  previous  to  the  settlement  of  this 
Western  part  of  our  own  township,  viz:  in  1763,  prepa 
rations  were  commenced  for  the  founding  of  new  colonies 
in  the  uncultivated  wilderness  to  the  North,  owned  by  the 
Indians.  The  land  now  comprising  the  townships  of 
Richmond  and  Lenox,  was  purchased  of  Chiefs  Ephraim 
and  Yokun,  Stockbridge  Indians,  under  the  agency  of 
Samuel  Brown  Jr.,  Esq.  The  price  was  £1700.  A  grant 
was  obtained,  such  as  was  needed  for  the  prosperity  of  the 
settlements,  January,  1784,  and  April  17th  they  held  a 
meeting  at  the  house  of  John  Chamberlain,  in  Richmond, 
for  the  transaction  of  business.  Timothy  Woodbridge  of 
Stockbridge  was  chosen  Moderator,  and  Samuel  Brown 
Jr.,  Clerk.  Esquire  Brown  was  also  on  the  committee  to 
lay  out  and  repair  high- ways,  and  Colonel  Elijah  Wil 
liams  was  Treasurer.  (This  was  two  years  previous  to 
the  erection  of  his  iron  works.)  Money  was  voted,  and  a 
committee  appointed  to  hire  a  preacher.  May  25th,  it 
was  voted  to  build,  by  taxation,  one  church  in  Richmond, 
then  called  Mount  Ephraim,  and  another  in  Lenox,  or 
Yokuntown.  On  the  building  committee  for  Richmond, 
were  Elijah  Brown  and  John  Chamberlain  from  Stock- 
bridge,  and  on  that  of  Lenox,  Stephen  Nash  of  this  town, 
and  Solomon  Gleazen,  whose  wife,  if  not  himself,  removed 
to  that  town  from  Stockbridge.  June  20th,  the  whole  was 
incorporated,  and  named  in  honor  of  the  Duke  of  Rich 
mond,  and,  February  26,  1767,  the  Eastern  part  was  set 
off  under  the  name  of  Lenox,  that  being  the  family  name 
of  the  Duke. 

In  Richmond,  the  names  of  Elijah  and  Isaac  Brown, 
John  Chamberlain  and  David  Pixley,  all  from  Stock- 
bridge,  are  among  the  first  settlers.  David  Pixley  after- 
terwards  returned  to  Stockbridge.  His  wife  was  Miss 
Patterson  of  Richmond.  Elijah  Brown  also  returned  to 
Stockbridge  after  the  birth  of  his  youngest  child. 

The  first  inhabitants  of  Lenox  were  Mr.  Jonathan  Hins- 
dale  from  Hartford,  and  his  wife,  Miss  Barnard  of  Stock- 
bridge,  daughter  of  Mrs.  Joseph  Woodbridge.  He  built 
on  the  east  side  of  tl\e  road,  about  fifty  rods  south  of 


OR,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.  203 

Court  House  Hill,  in  1750.  Lydia,  their  daughter,  who 
afterwards  married  Elilm  Parsons  of  Stockbridge,  was  the 
first  white  child  born  in  the  town.  A  few  months  after  the 
settlement  of  Mr.  Hinsdale,  Mr.  Jacob  Cooper  of  Stock- 
bridge,  who  had  married  Jemima  "Woodbridgc,  half  sister 
to  Mrs.  H.,  settled  on  the  east  street,  north  of  the  Lenox 
line.  Previous  to  the  alarm  in  1755,  a  few  other  families 
had  located  themselves  within  the  bounds  of  the  town. 
During  the  flight,  one  man  was  killed,  but  Mr.  Hinsdale 
succeeded  in  rescuing  the  woman  who  rode  behind  on  a 
pillion.  The  church  was  organized  in  1769,  and  Mr. 
Hinsdale  was  one  of  its  nine  male  members.  Probably 
other  families  removed  from  this  place  to  Lenox  and  Rich 
mond  during  the  early  periods  of  their  history,  who,  act 
ing  no  prominent  part,  have  not  left  their  names  upon  the 
records  of  those  towns. 

The  Chenango  Purchase  was  made  about  the  close  of 
the  Revolutionary  War,  and  many  Stockbridge  people 
engaged  in  the  enterprise.  Among  the  first  were  the  five 
sons  of  Abraham  Brown,  and  Elisha,  Peter,  Mary,  Phoebe, 
and  Mehitable  Wilson,  who,  with  their  mothers,  settled 
Newark  ;  and  they  were  followed  by  the  Balls,  Williamses, 
Slossons,  Asa  Benient,  Hosford,  the  Carpenters,  John 
Ruey,  &c.,  &c.,  until  Dr.  West  declared  that  if  many 
more  went,  he  would  go  too.  The  Purchase  consisted  of 
ten  townships,  and  our  citizens  seem  to  have  been  very 
generally  distributed  among  them. 

About  1790,  Eli  and  Joel  Bristol,  Solomon  and  Josiah 
Jones,  and  Stephen  Willard,  emigrated  to  the  vicinity  of 
Clinton,  Mr.  Willard  and  Mr.  J.  Jones  as  merchants,  and 
the  others  as  farmers.  The  merchants  returned,  Solomon 
Jones  removed  to  Owego,  but  the  Bristols  remained  with 
their  families.  They  were  joined  by  Dr.  Sewall  Hopkins, 
who  returned,  to  marry,  in  January,  1797.  When  the 
college  was  founded  Joel  Bristol  was  chosen  one  of  its 
trustees,  and  continued  so  until  his  death,  and  his  eldest 
son  was  one  of  the  first  four  graduates.  Dr.  Robinson 
was  another,  and  married  for  his  first  wife  another  of  the 
early  immigrants  from  Stockbridge,  the  daughter  of  Rev. 
Samuel  Kirkland. 

Afterwards,  Solomon  Jones  having  removed  to  Owego, 
he  was  joined  by  his  brothers,  Stephen  and  William,  and 


204         STOCKBRIDGE,  PAST  AND  PRESENT  J 

by  David  Pixley  2d,  and  his  son  David.  For  a  long  time 
they  had  no  pastor,  and  Mr.  Jones  and  his  wife — a  Bristol 
— and  Mrs.  Pixley,  stood  almost  alone  in  religious  mat 
ters.  Mr.  Jones  conducted  worship  upon  the  Sabbath  for 
years.  Mrs.  J.  Bristol,  and  the  Joneses  were  all  children  of 
Capt.  Josiah  Jones  ;  Mrs.  Asa  Bement,  and  the  mother  of 
the  Williamses  were  Browns  ;  and  Dr.  Hopkins  was 
grandson  to  Mr.  Sergeant  the  missionary,  enough  from 
the  old  hive  to  constitute  this  a  bona  fide  Stockbridge  emi 
gration. 

Again,  when  the  Genesee  Speculation  commenced,  the 
people  of  Stockbridge  engaged  in  it,  and  in  many  cases 
with  an  unwise  zeal.  Among  these,  were  the  Boughtons, 
Enos,  Jared  and  Hezekiah,  who  were  the  first  settlers  of 
Bloomfield,  now  Victor,  1791.  They  were  followed  by 
families  named  Brace,  Hart  and  Smith.  Ira  Seymour 
went  later.  There  was  never  another  time  when  such  for 
tunes  were  made  by  our  citizens,  and  again  lost  in  a  few 
years,  or  even  months.  One  man  from  this  town,  who  felt 
that  he  could  never  spend  the  interest  of  his  property,  was 
in  a  short  time  destitute,  and  went  with  his  brothers  to 
Dismal  Swamp,  to  raise,  by  the  manufacture  of  shingles, 
the  means  of  retrieving  his  error,  and  re-purchasing  his 
farm.  Not  only  those  who  removed  to  Genesee,  but  many 
who  remained  in  the  civilized  world,  lost  their  all ;  and 
Stockbridge,  perhaps,  bore  its  full  share  in  the  energy  and 
gain,  and  in  the  folly  and  loss,  which  marked  the  enter 
prise. 

The  next  emigration  of  Stockbridge  people  in  any  con 
siderable  number  took  place  in  1819.  Col.  Henry  Brown, 
son  of  Samuel  Brown,  Esq.,  having  purchased  a  township 
on  the  southern  shore  of  Lake  Erie,  many  families  from 
this  place  removed  thither  with  him.  The  town  is  called 
Brownhelm,  after  Colonel,  afterwards  Judge,  Brown,  its 
founder.  Nineteen  took  a  dismission  from  this  church, 
and  were  formed  into  a  new  church  in  the  wilderness, 
among  whom  were  Mrs.  Brown,  and  Deacon  Stephen 
James.  Other  names  of  settlers,  either  at  that  time  or 
soon  after,  were  Pease,  Barnum,  Patten,  Alverson,  Fair- 
child,  Curtis,  Sage,  Whittlesey,  Shepherd,  Peck,  Baldwin, 
Cooley,  &c. 

In  1836,  several  heads  of  families  became  interested  in 


OR,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.  205 

the  settlement  of  Mercer  Co.,  Illinois.  Major  Edward 
Burrall,  Dr.  Alfred  Perry,  and  Mr.  Loring  Barnum  went 
with  their  sons  to  Illinois.  Dr.  Perry  left  in  1837, 
returned  in  1838,  and  during  the  summer  of  that  year 
removed  his  family  to  what  has  since  been  called  Perry, 
in  honor  of  him.  His  death,  a  short  time  after,  occasioned 
the  return  of  his  wife  and  younger  children.  Major  Bur 
rall  left  a  son,  but  has  never  removed  his  family ;  and  Mr. 
Barnum  and  one  son  were  cut  down  just  as  the  family  at 
home  were  preparing  to  join  them,  and  another  son 
returned ;  so  that,  though  the  prospect  was  at  one  time 
fair  of  establishing  a  little  community  of  Stockbridgeans 
in  Illinois,  with  unusual  advantages  for  a  new  settlement, 
the  whole  State  contains  now  scarcely  a  representation  of 
our  citizens. 

Since  the  golden  mania  has  turned  the  faces  of  the  whole 
world,  civilized  and  savage,  to  California,  a  few  have  gone  from 
Stockbridge,  and  succeeded  well.  Two  have  died.  But 
the  disease  never  fully  took  hold  upon  the  people  until  the 
autumn  of  1851.  Yet  early  in  January,  1852,  nearly  a 
score  were  ready  to  leave.  Could  we  but  fit  out  as  many 
foreign  missionaries,  Stockbridge  would  indeed  be  rich. 
But  "  the  children  of  this  world  are  in  their  generation 
wiser  than  the  children  of  light."  Thanks  be  to  God  that 
a  wiser  day  is  dawning  upon  his  kingdom  below. 


SECTION    XXXV. 


WAR    WITH    GREAT    BRITAIN. 

PASSING  over  the  question  of  right  or  wrong  in  the 
matter,  we  will  come  at  once  to  the  fact,  that  between  June 
4th  and  June  18th,  1812,  the  President  and  Congress  of 
the  United  States  had  gone  through  with  the  prescribed 
forms  of  national  law,  and  declared  this  country  to  be  in  a 
state  of  war  with  Great  Britain,  her  Colonies  and  depen 
dencies.  The  Western  States  and  Territories,  the  sailors 
upon  the  Lakes,  and  many  large  towns,  received  the  news 
with  joy ;  and  New  York,  Baltimore,  and  the  City  of 
10 


206  STOCKBRIDGE,    PAST    AND    PRESENT  ; 

Brotherly  Love  illuminated  as  a  public  expression  of  ap 
probation,  while  Massachusetts,  Connecticut  and  New  Jer 
sey  legislatively  dissented,  and  the  people  of  New  England 
were  divided  upon  a  question  of  life  and  death.  Not  only 
States  and  Towns,  but  neighborhoods,  churches  and  families 
admitted  the  separating  wall.  It  was  not  as  in  the  days  of 
the  rebellion,  when  every  man's  hand  was  against  his  fel 
low  ;  but,  by  those  who  were  for  peace,  the  warriors  were 
looked  upon  as  ready  for  revenge,  to  bring  upon  us  a  for 
eign  foe  who  might  have  been  propitiated,  while,  on  the 
other  hand,  the  Democratic  party  were  impatient  of  the 
tameness  with  wrhich  the  federalists  could  see  the  rights 
and  safety  of  the  country  trampled  in  the  dust.  Thus, 
both  were  prepared  to  lay  the  cause  of  every  suffering  at 
the  door  of  the  opposite  party  ;  and  those  sufferings  were 
by  no  means  light.  The  price  of  goods  was  at  once  rais 
ed,  and  in  Stockbridge  $15  for  a  barrel  of  flour,  $1  for  the 
coarsest  tea,  and  $18  per  pound  for  the  best,  was  but  in 
proportion  to  the  prices  of  other  articles.  And  this  was 
but  the  smallest  evil.  To  the  minds  of  children,  those  of 
the  opposite  party  were  often  monsters  in  human  form. — 
This,  we  can  well  remember,  was  the  feeling  of  the  chil 
dren  of  federalist  parents  in  Stockbridge.  Among  the 
girls  of  the  village  school,  that  party  predominated  ;  and 
as  we  marched  and  counter-marched  during  intermissions, 
singing  our  puerile  defiance  to  the  "  Demo.  Band,"  the  sub 
dued  countenances  of  the  two  or  three  who  could  not  join 
the  sport,  were  enough  to  move  the  pity  of  a  soldier's  heart, 
and  are  always  set  down  as  among  the  moral  evils  of  the 
war.  We  did  not  hate  them ;  we  commiserated  the  mis 
fortune  of  their  birth ;  but  we  felt  it  a  duty  to  shake  off 
the  dust  of  our  feet  against  all  that  abetted  the  unholy 
butchery  of  war ;  and  in  our  brave  crusade,  their  children 
must  not  expect  to  escape. 

During  the  autumn  of  181 4,  however,  an  event  occurred 
which  shows  that  the  village  school  was  not  an  index  for 
the  town.  The  Association  had  appointed  a  day  of  fasting 
and  prayer,  to  be  observed  in  view  of  the  distracted  state 
of  the  country,  and  some  ultra  democrats,  choosing  to  have 
all  in  their  own  way,  opposed  the  submitting  of  the  ques 
tion  to  the  council  of  Heaven.  They  seem  not  to  have 
believed  in  the  right  of  that  foreign  power  to  intervene, 


OR,  RECORDS  OP  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.         207 

and  therefore  they  threatened  violence  to  those  who  should 
call  in  such  an  arbiter.  In  some  towns  the  appointment 
was  read  on  the  Sabbath,  and  the  day  was  publicly  observ 
ed.  But  in  Stockbridge  this  was  not  deemed  prudent,  and 
those  who  felt  disposed  to  observe  it,  gathered  their  fami 
lies  in  some  retired  room  of  their  own  dwellings,  and  there 
poured  out  their  fears  and  confidence  into  the  ear  of  Him 
who  saith,  that  those  who  trust  in  His  mercy,  shall  be  hid 
"  in  the  secret  of  His  pavilion."  The  memory  of  no 
.early  day  is  more  deeply  impressed  than  this.  The  re 
tirement,  the  solemn  charge  of  secrecy,  and  the  intense 
excitement  and  fear  produced,  are  among  the  pictures  of 
childhood  which  can  never  be  effaced. 

Feb.  22,  1813,  the  birth  of  Washington  was  celebrated 
with  unusual  display  in  Stockbridge.  The  exercises  were 
performed  in  the  church,  and  the  procession  marched  up 
from  the  village,  the  young  men  wearing  the  portrait  of 
the  patriot  set  in  blue  satin,  as  a  badge.  It  was  a  gala 
day  for  little  Stockbridge.  But  before  the  Sabbath,  we 
had  another  procession  somewhat  unlike  that  of  the  Wash- 
mgtonians.  Twelve  sleigh  loads  of  sailors  arrived  from 
Boston,  destined  for  the  Lakes,  which  had  then  but  a  small 
fleet  for  their  defense,  and  several  of  them  were  taken 
sick  here,  so  that  they  were  unable  to  leave  until  Tuesday. 
Generally,  however,  we  saw  little  of  the  soldiers;  but 
heavy  teams  were  very  often  passing  with  stores  for  the 
army,  and  on  the  Sabbath  were  a  great  annoyance. 

In  the  summer  of  1814,  the  British  made  an  attempt  to 
cut  off  the  New  England  States,  by  taking  the  northern 
posts  and  coming  down  the  Hudson,  while,  at  the  same 
time,  they  were  to  attack  New  York,  and  hold  the  whole 
coast  in  a  state  of  blockade.  Thus,  they  hoped  to  bring 
this  part  of  the  country  to  sue  for  peace,  and  relieve  them 
selves  of  all  Yankee  enemies.  That  was  a  gloomy  year  ; 
for  though  the  design  was  frustrated,  Plattsburgh  was  tak 
en  and  held  for  a  short  time,  the  coast  was  invaded,  and 
many  towns  were  subdued.  We  believed  ourselves  be 
tween  two  millstones ;  the  sound  of  martial  music,  partic 
ularly  at  evening,  was  startling,  and  to  childhood,  (if  their 
sufferings  may  be  made  matters  of  political  history,)  it  was 
terrifying.  Day  after  day  might  be  seen  groups  of  tiny 
politicians  discussing  the  news  of  the  day,  and  confiding  to 


208  STOCKBRIDGE,   PAST   AND   PRESENT; 

each  other  their  settled  plans  of  action  whenever  the  bayo 
net  should  be  presented  to  their  breasts. 

On  returning  from  school  September  10,  we  had  all  sad 
news  to  hear,  and  to  some  it  was  heart-rending.  The 
Militia  had  been  called  to  march,  the  following  day,  for  the 
defense  of  Boston,  and  from  some  families  this  would  take 
two,  and  from  others  three,  of  their  number.  It  was  a 
dreadful  night,  and  particularly  so  to  those  who  were  op 
posed  to  war.  The  conscription  would  not  have  been  more 
odious.  On  the  morning  of  the  llth,  the  Company  col 
lected  on  the  village  green  for  prayer,  in  which  they  were 
led  by  Rev.  E.  G.  Swift,  the  colleague  of  Dr.  West,  and 
then  marched  off  to  meet  their  fate.  We  were,  of  course, 
expecting,  each  for  his  own,  that  that  fate  would  be  death. 
But  we  were  graciously  disappointed ;  for  after  six  weeks 
of  leisure,  they  returned  safe,  and  it  is  needless  to  say, 
happy.  The  following  names  of  persons  belonging  to  this 
company  have  been  obtained : 

JOHN  HUNT,  Captain ;  Erastus  Williams,  Lieutenant ; 
George  Bacon,  Ensign  ;  William  Williams,  Orderly  Ser 
geant;  Benjamin  Bacon,  Philo  Griswold  and  Leonard 
Olmstead,  Sergeants ;  David  B.  Ingersoll,  Heman  Whit- 
tlesey,  DanieP Barnes  and  Otis  Dresser,  Corporals;  Hor 
ace  Williams,  Drummer ;  and  Samuel  Clarke,  Fifer. 

Privates,  —  George  Warner,  George  James,  Daniel 
Phelps,  Samuel  Bacon,  Jay  Curtis,  Barney  Curtis,  Chas. 
Carter,  Sands  Niles,  George  Hill,  Miles  Carter,  Uri  Platt, 
Ezra  Perry,  Horace  Abbey, Phelps,  Samuel  Rath- 
bun,  Nathaniel  Rathbun,  Seymour  Churchill,  Charles 
Whittlesey,  Solomon  Whittlesey,  Francis  Olmstead,  John 
Manley,  Luman  Andrews,  John  Skinkle,  Luther  Hamilton, 
Patrick  Hamilton,  Timothy  Tolman,  Silas  Tolman,  Phin- 
eas  Pixley,  Levi  Belden,  William  Wilcox,  Luther  London, 
Isaiah  Brown,  Luman  Wilcox,  Lyman  Wilcox,  Simeon 
Bliss,  Jonathan  Howard,  William  Green,  Isaac  Williams, 
Henry  J.  Ostrom  and  Ebenezer  Simonds.  Stephen  Car 
penter  being  absent,  escaped..  Henry  W.  Dwight  was 
aid  to  Major  General  Joseph  Whiton. 

The  Treaty  of  Peace  was  signed  at  Ghent,  Dec.  24th, 
of  the  same  year ;  a  happy  prelude  to  the  services  of  the 
25th,  in  welcome  and  obedience  to  the  Prince  of  Peace. 
On  the  28th  it  was  ratified  by  the  Prince  Regent,  Feb. 


OR,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.        209 

llth  the  news  reached  New  York,  and  on  the  17th  it  was 
accepted  by  the  President.  Great  joy  was  manifested 
upon  the  occasion.  Stockbridge  was  beautifully  illuminat 
ed,  and  among  the  sounds  of  merriment  and  melody,  the 
old  Indian  Conch  bore  a  ready  part,  winded  from  the  heart 
by  him  who  held  it. 

A  number  of  the  British  prisoners  had  resided  here  for 
several  months ;  but  upon  the  return  of  Peace  they  were 
set  at  liberty,  and  we  again  sat  under  our  own  vines  and 
fruit  trees,  "  with  none  to  molest  us,  or  make  us  afraid." 

And  this  was  the  last  war  in  which  Stockbridge  people 
were  ever  personally  engaged.  May  God  grant  that  this 
assertion  shall  never  need  reversion,  unless  He,  himself, 
call  us  to  fight  under  his  own  banner  of  Truth  and  Uni 
versal  Righteousness,  the  last  great  conflect  with  Error, 
Rapine  and  Death ! 


SECTION    XXXVI. 


DIVISIONS    OF    THE    PARISH  J     PASTORS,    EDIFICES,    &C. 

IN  1810,  the  infirmities  of  Dr.  West  induced  him  to  ask 
for  a  colleague,  and  the  Rev.  Ephraim  G.  Swift  was  called 
to  the  office,  and  ordained  Sept.  26.  Dr.  West  preached 
the  Ordination  Sermon. 

Mr.  Swift  was  born  in  Williamstown,  August  14,  1782, 
and  graduated  at  that  College  in  September,  1804.  He 
studied  Divinity  with  Dr.  West.  He  was  the  son  of  Rev. 
Seth  Swift  of  Williamstown,  and  nephew  of  Rev.  Job 
Swift,  "the  Vermont  Apostle."  His  mother  was  the 
grand-daughter  of  Rev.  Jared  Eliot,  D.  D.,  M.  D.  and  F. 
R.  S.,  of  Killing  worth,  great-grand-daughter  of  the  emi 
nent  minister,  Joseph  Eliot,  and  great-great-grand-daugh 
ter  of  John  Eliot,  the  Apostle.  She  was  also  niece  to 
Governor  Griswold.  The  Swift  family  removed  from 
Sandwich  to  Kent,  but  were,  very  probably,  descended 
from  Thomas  Swift,  of  Dorchester,  1630. 

Mr.  Swift  was  dismissed,  by  his  request,  at  the  same  time 
with  Dr.  West,  August  27,  1818.  Since  that  time  he  has 
labored  at  Humphreysville  and  Bethany  eleven  years,  and 


210          STOCKBRIDGE,  PAST  AND  PRESENT  ; 

was  settled  at  Killingworth  December  11,  1832.  In  the 
Autumn  of  1850,  he  retired  on  account  of  his  health,  and 
has  not  since  ministered  statedly  to  any  charge.  His  wiie 
was  Miss  Sarah  K.  Beach,  of  New  York.  While  in 
Stockbridge  he  was  unmarried.  As  we  have  come  down 
now  to  the  present  generation,  characters  must  be  omitted 
in  future. 

During  the  Winter  following  the  dismission  of  Dr. 
West  and  Mr.  Swift,  Mr.  Hutchins  Taylor  and  Mr.  Wil 
liam  Boardman  were  employed  ;  but  no  call  was  given  un 
til  the  Summer  of  1819,  when  Rev.  David  D.  Field,  from 
Haddam,  Ct.,  but  free  from  engagements,  was  called,  and 
accepted  the  invitation.  He  was  installed  August  25,  and 
remained  until  February,  1837,  when  he  returned  to  Had 
dam. 

Mr.  Field,  now  Dr.  Field,  is  a  descendant  of  the  Con 
necticut  branch  of  the  old  Dudley  family,  and  also  of  the 
early  Fields  of  Hartford  and  Hadley,  Zachariah  Field  being 
one  of  the  first  settlers  of  Hartford,  and  the  founder  of  the 
family.  Dr.  Field  was  born  in  East  Guilford,  Ct.,  now 
Madison,  May  20, 1781,  graduated  at  Yale  College  in  1802, 
settled  at  Haddam  April  11, 1814,  was  dismissed  April  11, 
1818,  went  on  a  mission  to  the  southern  shore  of  Lake 
Ontario  in  June  of  the  same  year,  settled  in  Stockbridge 
August  25, 1819,  dismissed  reluctantly  by  his  people,  Feb 
ruary  12th,  1837,  settled  again  in  Haddam  April  11,  1837, 
was  dismissed  April  11,  1844,  and  from  that  time  until 
July  1,  1850,  supplied  the  congregation  in  Higganum,  the 
North  Parish  of  Haddam.  In  the  Spring  of  1851,  he 
returned  to  Stockbridge,  and  has  again  taken  up  his  resi 
dence  among  us. 

Dr.  F.  married  Miss  Submit  Dickinson,  of  Somers,  Oc 
tober  31,  1803,  and  has  had  ten  children.  Two  among 
them,  D.  D.  Field,  Esq.,  of  New  York,  and  Stephen  W. 
Field,  Esq.,  of  California,  have  been  appointed,  within  a 
few  years,  to  revise  the  laws  of  their  respective  States. — 
Miss  Emilia  Field  was,  for  several  years,  Missionary  in 
Asia,  as  will  be  particularly  noticed  in  its  place,  and  "  H. 
M.  F."  and  "  M.  E.  F.,"  the  youngest  two  of  the  family, 
are  well  known  to  the  reading  world.  Dr.  Field  has  dis 
tinguished  himself  by  his  Historical  Researches  and  Pub 
lications,  no  less  than  as  a  divine. 


OR,   RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.  211 

Near  the  close  of  1823,  a  proposal  was  made  for  the 
erection  of  a  new  house  of  worship,  on  some  site  less  bleak 
and  more  convenient  than  the  former.  In  this  all  were 
united ;  but  after  much  deliberation  and  discussion  with 
regard  to  the  exact  locality,  the  parish  divided,  and  built 
two  houses  instead  of  one.  The  old  Society  built  upon 
the  green  at  the  west  end  of  the  village,  within  a  few  rods 
of  the  spot  on  which  the  mission  church  stood.  This 
house  is  of  brick,  seventy  feet  by  fifty,  and  was  dedicated 
January  20,  1825.  At  first  it  was  red,  but  it  has  since 
been  painted  white.  In  1844,  the  Ladies  formed  a  Sew 
ing  Society,  for  the  purpose  of  making  improvements  in 
the  church,  and  continued  their  labors  for  several  years. — 
They  first  procured  blinds,  and  afterwards  carpets  and  a 
new  set  of  chairs,  lowered  the  galleries,  shut  the  pulpit 
window,  newly  painted  the  interior,  and  by  the  addition  of 
some  contributions,  procured  a  sofa  for  the  pulpit.  The 
pulpit  was  newly  dressed  in  1837,  and  some  changes  have 
since  been  made.  A  female  member  of  the  church  pre 
sented  the  beautiful  communion  table  now  in  use ;  the  book 
case  for  the  Sabbath  School,  which  took  the  place  of  a 
much  smaller  one,  in  1848,  was  obtained  by  subscriptions  ; 
and  other  furniture  has  been  obtained  in  a  similar  manner, 
as  it  was  called  for. 

Immediately  after  the  retirement  of  Dr.  Field,  Rev. 
Tertius  S.  Clarke  from  Haddam  supplied  the  pulpit,  and 
was  installed  pastor,  June  15,  1837.  He  continued  with 
us  until  May  5,  1850,  when  he  took  leave  of  the  people : 
and  he  was  settled  in  Penn  Yan,  N.  Y.,  during  the  same 
season ;  the  date  he  has  not  given.  With  respect  to  his 
ancestry,  birth,  &c.,  Mr.  Clarke  states,  that  he  was  "born 
in  Westhampton,  Mass.,  December  17,  1799,  that  he  was 
graduated  at  Yale,  September,  1824,  studied  Theology  at 
Auburn,  and  supposes  that  he  can  trace  his  ancestry  as  far 
back  as  to  the  May  Flower."  He  married  Miss  Almira 
A.  Marshall  of  Granville,  Mass.,  a  native  of  "Winchester, 
Conn.  They  have  four  children,  and  have  buried  one. 
Mr.  Clarke's  first  parish  was  Bloody  Brook,  Mass.,  and  his 
second,  Haddam,  Conn. 

On  the  dismission  of  Mr.  Clarke,  several  candidates 
either  offered  themselves,  or  were  offered  by  their  friends ; 
but  the  society  seemed  to  have  acted  upon  the  Indian's 


212  STOCKBRLDGE,  PAST  AND  PRESENT  | 

rule  with  his  son — "  The  more  you  say  bow  and  arrow,  the 
more  I'll  not  make  it,"  —  for  they  selected  one  of  whose 
family  and  history  they  had  no  information,  and  who  must 
turn  from  other  eligible  situations  to  accept  a  call  from  us. 
This  stranger  was  Rev.  Alfred  H.  Dashiell  Jr.,  whose  father 
and  grandfather  were  both  clergymen.  He  was  born  near 
Baltimore,  January  9,  1824,  graduated  at  Delaware  Col 
lege  in  1843,  and  at  the  Theological  Seminary  in  New 
York  city,  1847.  He  had  previously  been  sent  to  labor 
in  destitute  places  while  unable  to  prosecute  his  studies ; 
and  after  graduating  at  New  York  was  sent  as  a  Home 
Missionary  to  Missouri. 

Mr.  Dashiell  was  descended  from  a  persecuted  Huguenot, 
who  took  refuge  in  England,  after  the  revocation  of  the 
Edict  of  Nantes,  and  there  married  into  one  of  the  noble 
families,  which,  however,  he  prefers  simply  to  call  puritan. 
His  wife,  no  whit  beneath  him  in  the  rank  or  godliness  of 
her  ancestry,  was  Miss  Mary  Mason  of  New  York ;  and 
we  esteem  it  no  small  favor  of  Providence,  that  He  has 
furnished  us  so  many  pastors  upon  whose  heads  have  rest 
ed  the  accumulated  blessings  of  a  holy  parentage. 

Having  accepted  the  call  of  the  people  after  a  period  of 
probation,  Mr.  Dashiell  was  installed  December  11,  1850. 
Sermon  by  Mr.  Smith  of  Lee ;  charge  to  the  people  by 
Mr.  Turner  of  Barrington ;  charge  to  the  pastor  by  Dr. 
A.  Peters  of  Williamstown ;  and  right  hand  of  fellowship 
by  Mr.  Lasell  of  West  Stockbridge. 

Having  thus  brought  the  Ecclesiastical  History  of  the 
first  Church  down  to  the  present  time,  we  will  next  trace 
that  of  the  North,  or  Curtisville  Church.  And  here 
it  should  be  premised,  that  besides  being  a  small  society, 
Curtisville  is  chiefly  a  manufacturing  district,  and  con 
stantly  subject  to  fluctuations.  Since  1825,  the  owners  of 
the  principal  establishment  have  been  "absentees;"  and 
we  know  the  evils  of  absenteeism  too  well  to  expect  under 
it  that  system  and  thrift  which  we  see  elsewhere.  The 
few  inhabitants  who  have  continued  in  the  parish  from 
year  to  year  have  found  that  with  a  new  capitalist,  new 
operatives,  or  a  new  pastor  almost  annually,  there  must  be 
more  laying  of  foundations,  than  crowning  with  top-stones. 

Those  who  withdrew  from  the  old  society  at  first  had 
constituted  about  one-fourth  of  that  body.  The  church 


OR,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.         213 

was  organized  December  22,  1824,  and  consisted  of  sixty- 
three  members.  They  erected  a  brick  edifice  sixty-one  by 
forty,  a  few  rods  North  of  the  Larawaugh  school  house, 
which  was  dedicated  January  10,  1827,  and  Rev.  Nathan 
Shaw  from  West  Stockbridge  was  installed  pastor  on  the 
same  day.  Previous  to  this  time  they  had  worshiped  in 
the  school  house,  and  hired  preachers  for  limited  periods. 
Among  them  were  Rev.  Alfred  Chester,  Rev.  Samuel 
Shepherd,  &c. 

Mr.  Shaw  continued  to  preach  until  March  9,  1831, 
when  he  was  dismissed,  and  the  church  was  for  some  years 
without  a  settled  pastor.  During  the  Summer  of  1831, 

Rev. Blakesley  labored  for  a  time.  Afterward,  Mr. 

Hudson  was  there  two  years  and  a  half,  leaving  in  the 
Spring  of  1837.  He  was  followed  during  the  Summer  by 
Rev.  Joseph  Hurlburt,  who  was  installed  Nov.  22, 1838,  and 
dismissed  June  16, 1840.  The  17th  of  thesame  month,  Rev.  J. 
T.  Headley,  well  known  by  his  various  publications,  was  or 
dained  pastor,  having  sup  plied  during  the  previous  6  months. 
He  was  dismissed  in  the  Spring  of  1842,  and  Mr.  Turner  of 
Harrington,  now  a  Home  Missionary,  and  Mr.  Hurlburt, 
supplied  during  the  Summer  and  Fall.  Mr.  Thayer  spent 
the  next  winter  in  the  field,  and  June  26,  1844,  Rev. 
Ralph  Smith  was  installed.  October  10,  1845,  he  was 
dismissed,  and  retired  for  a  tune  from  the  ministry ;  but 
was  afterwards  settled  in  Lee.  Mr.  Otis  Lombard  follow 
ed  Mr.  Smith,  but  only  as  a  supply,  and  left  April  1, 1846. 
Others  supplied  until  the  introduction  of  Mr.  L.  P.  Gid- 
dings,  who  was  installed  December  2,  1846,  and  dismissed 
April  1,  1849.  The  present  pastor,  Rev.  Winthrop  H. 
Phelps  commenced  his  ministry  among  them  during  the 
Summer  of  1849,  and  was  installed  November  6th  of  that 
year.  He  was  born  at  Albany  in  March,  1818,  graduated 
in  1842,  and  completed  his  course  at  the  Theological 
Seminary  in  New  York,  in  1845.  His  puritan  ancestor 
was  William  Phelps,  who  came  to  this  country  in  1630. 

During  the  ministry  of  Mr.  Hudson,  the  Society  remov 
ed  their  house  of  worship  to  Curtisville,  where  it  was 
newly  dedicated.  The  ladies,  not  only  the  old  inhabitants, 
but  others  who  have  come  in  to  engage  in  the  manufac 
tories,  have  plied  their  needles  with  a  very  laudable  skill 
and  perseverance  in  behalf  of  the  temple,  and  have  done 
10* 


214        STOCKBRIDGE,  PAST  AND  PRESENT  } 

much  to  repair  and  furnish  it.  "Pray  for  the  peace  of  Je 
rusalem  ;  they  shall  prosper  that  love  thee." 

Several  years  previous  to  the  dismission  of  Dr.  Field, 
viz:  February,  1834,  an  Episcopal  Society  had  been  form 
ed,  service  being  held  in  what  is  now  called  the  Lecture 
Room,  and  Rev.  Samuel  P.  Parker  had  officiated,  com 
mencing  July  13,  of  the  above  mentioned  year.  Rev. 
Calvin  Wolcott  took  the  place  of  Mr.  Parker,  August  21, 
1836,  and  at  the  same  time  taught  the  Academy.  In 
August,  1844,  their  church  edifice  was  dedicated,  and  Mr. 
Parker,  having  again  officiated  since  July,  1837,  was  at 
the  same  time  duly  set  over  the  church  and  parish.  In 
July,  1846,  he  took  a  dismission,  and  was  succeeded  in 
September  by  Rev.  Justin  Field.  In  January,  1849,  Mr. 
Field  left,  and  since  June  of  that  year,  Rev.  Thomas  R. 
Pynchon  has  filled  the  post. 

Aided  by  friends  in  Stockbridge,  the  Society  raised 
$1300  for  the  erection  of  the  church,  and  $1500  wrere  ob 
tained  elsewhere.  The  Bible  and  Prayer  Book  were  the 
gift  of  Professor  Reid  of  Union  College,  and  the  Com 
munion  Plate,  of  Parker  L.  Hall  Esq.  of  Pittsfield.  A 
Sewing  Society  connected  with  the  parish,  has  also  been 
very  efficient  in  supporting  its  worship. 

A  Methodist  Church  has  been  in  existence  for  a  num 
ber  of  years,  but  that  denomination  has  never  erected  a 
house  of  worship.  In  the  Spring  of  1850  a  minister  was 
stationed  here, — Mr.  Horton — a  very  excellent  man ;  but 
he  died  in  the  course  of  the  Summer,  and  Rev.  R.  W. 
Keeler  has  succeeded  to  the  office.  This  Society,  like  the 
Episcopal,  includes  all  parts  of  the  town. 

The  late  Rev.  Dr.  Charles  Follen  conducted  Unitarian 
service  in  a  private  house  on  Sabbath  afternoons  during 
the  Summer  of  1836.  A  Universalist  clergyman  has 
preached  at  times  with  some  regularity  in  Curtisville,  and 
the  Irish  Papists  often  collect  in  great  numbers  for  wor 
ship  in  the  village ;  but  the  mass  of  the  native  population 
have  always  united  with  one  of  the  three  denominations, 
Congregational,  Episcopal  or  Methodist. 

In  the  Autumn  of  1853,  an  Independent  Church  was 
formed  in  Glendale,  under  the  auspices  of  Rev.  Horatio 
Foot,  an  evangelist ;  but  it  became  extinct  in  a  very  short 
time.  Baptist  service  has  occasionally  been  held  in  that 


OR,   RECORDS   OF  AN  OLD   MISSION   STATION.  215 

part  of  the  town,  and  a  Sabbath  School  has  been  sustained 
there ;  but  no  house  of  worship  has  been  erected,  or  pas 
tor  statedly  employed,  for  any  length  of  time. 

At  first,  as  has  been  observed,  the  support  of  the  Gos 
pel  in  Stockbridge  was  drawn  chiefly  from  Great  Britain. 
The  Society  which  supplied  the  funds  was  formed  at  the 
suggestion  of  Apostle  Eliot,  for  the  support,  at  first,  of  his 
Missions.  Collections  were  taken  up  for  the  establish 
ment  of  a  fund, — a  large  sum,  let  us  not  forget,  being  con 
tributed  in  Ireland,  —  and  Edward  Winslow  obtained  a 
Charter.  The  officers  received  no  salaries ;  their  meetings 
were  held  in  London,  at  Cooper's  Hall,  and  the  books  were 
kept  open  for  inspection.  After  the  Restoration,  1664, 
Sir  Robert  Boyle,  having  saved  the  old  Charter  from  sei 
zure  by  the  crown,  and  procured  a  new  one,  was  chosen 
President.  Before  the  establishment  of  the  mission  here, 
a  great  apathy  had  existed  upon  the  subject,  and  a  large 
amount  was  expended  in  the  support  of  Episcopal,  in  op 
position  to  Puritan  churches.  But  the  success  here  soon 
led  to  other  missions,  to  which  more  or  less  was  devoted. 
A  collection  was  taken  up  in  Boston  annually  for  the  ob 
jects  of  the  Society,  which  in  1718  amounted  to  nearly 
£1,000.  Near  the  close  of  Mr.  Sergeant's  life,  England 
became  remiss,  it  would  seem,  and  Scotland  became  more 
interested.  The  distinguished  Mr.  Erskine  of  Scotland 
used  his  influence  in  behalf  of  President  Edwards ;  and 
Dr.  West,  until  1775,  received  much  of  his  support  from 
that  country.  After  that  time,  he  received  £80,  and  his 
wood,  and  when  dollars  and  cents  became  our  currency, 
&400  was  his  salary,  raised  by  taxation.  The  salary  of 
Mr.  Swift  was  $400. 

Dr.  Field  received  S700,  and  Mr.  Clarke  $700.  Mr. 
Dashiell  has  the  same.  Since  the  system  of  taxation  was 
abolished,  the  salary  has  been  raised  by  subscription  until 
the  last  nine  years.  For  that  time  it  has  been  raised  by 
the  sale  of  slips  and  pews  annually. 

The  house  was  built  by  subscription,  and  the  pews  and 
slips  were  at  first  sold.  But  the  owners  have  generally 
relinquished  their  claims  without  compensation.  A  few 
have  sold  to  the  Society,  and  a  few  still  hold  their  seats  as 
real  estate. 

In  the  winter  of  1831,  the  house  of  Dr.  Field  was  con- 


216  STOCKBRIDGE,   PAST   AND    PBESENT ; 

sumed  by  fire,  and  the  people  subscribed  $1400  for  the 
erection  of  a  new  one.  In  olden  time  a  pastor  was,  as  it 
were,  planted  in  his  parish,  and  there  yielded  fruit  in  old 
age.  Then  he  owned  a  house,  and,  in  the  country,  a  farm. 
But  in  this  age  of  the  world,  ministers  must  keep  upon 
the  march  as  well  as  arts,  intellect,  &c.,  and  when  Mr, 
Clarke  came  among  us,  it  was  felt  that  the  pastor's  resi 
dence  should  be  the  property  of  the  parish,  and  stand 
ready  for  his  successor.  Accordingly  a  parsonage  Avas 
built  in  1838-9  ;  but  not  being  fully  paid  for,  and  the  busi 
ness  being  involved  in  difficulties  not  easily  raveled,  it 
was  thought  best,  in  1850,  to  sell,  Curtisville  also  owned 
a  parsonage  at  one  time  ;  but  sold  it  some  years  since. 

Finding  great  difficulty  in  the  administration  of  disci 
pline  without  a  Constitution,  the  church  in  1818  instructed 
Mr.  Swift  to  draw  up  one  for  their  adoption.  This  he  did? 
and  it  was  presented,  signed  by  the  members  convened  for 
that  purpose,  and  ordered  to  be  published,  at  a  church 
meeting,  June  25,  1818.  Mr.  Elijah  Brown  and  Mr.  Jo- 
siah  Jones  were  appointed  a  committee  to  superintend  the 
publication,  September  2.  Such  was  the  novelty  of  the 
measure  at  the  time,  that  the  neighboring  churches  became 
alarmed,  and  believed  that  Stockbridge  was  forming  a  new 
organization,  and  withdrawing  itself  from  their  fellowship. 
The  original  document,  as  it  was  presented,  is  at  hand,  with 
the  signatures  of  the  church  members  —  in  manuscript — 
and  also  printed  copies.  There  is  little  alteration  in  the 
matter,  though  in  the  arrangement  of  disciplinable  offen 
ces  there  is  quite  a  change.  These  were  published  before 
the  close  of  1818  ;  300  copies  without  the  explanations,  for 
the  church,  and  one  hundred  with  explanations,  for  distri 
bution  among  other  churches  in  the  county,  to  quiet  any 
still  existing  fears.  A  second  edition  was  published  in 
1827,  to  which  the  names  of  the  members  were  appended; 
and,  the  rules  of  the  church  having  been  revised,  a  new 
issue  is  soon  to  be  made  in  which  regard  is  paid  to  the 
love  of  ancestry  and  research  now  prevalent  in  the  com 
munity.  It  is  also  to  be  accompanied  by  a  Historical 
Preface. 


OR,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.  217 


SECTION    XXXVII. 


DEACONS     OF     THE     CHURCHES. 

The  earliest  deacons  of  this  church  were  Timothy 
Woodbridge  and  Peter  Pauquaunaupeet,  who  have  been 
mentioned.  Then  succeeded  in  order,  Samuel  Brown, 
Elnathan  Curtis,  Stephen  Nash,  Elisha  Bradley,  Timothy 
Edwards,  Erastus  Sergeant,  Ebenezer  Plumb,  Ebenezer 
Cook,  Stephen  James,  Jonathan  Ingersoll,  John  "VVhiton, 
Alfred  Perry,  Josiah  Jones,  Lystra  Taylor,  Sewall  Ser 
geant,  John  Hufnagle,  William  Whitney,  and  Joseph  I. 
Crosby. 

Deacon  Nash  was  a  peculiarly  venerable  man.  A  little 
child  was  asked  in  school  "  Who  was  the  first  man  ?"  and 
promptly  and  honestly  answered,  "  Deacon  Nash." 

Deacon  Jonathan  Ingersoll,  elected  to  the  office  in  1814, 
was  for  eleven  months  in  the  Revolutionary  Army.  He 
was  then  a  minor.  December  25,  1780,  he  married  Miss 
Eunice  Pixley  of  Stockbridge,  and  remained  here  until 
his  death,  December  21,  1840.  He  was  eminently  a  man 
of  peace,  and  warm  hearted  charity.  It  was  his  constant 
practice,  previous  to  a  communion  season,  to  take  the 
names  of  the  church  members  to  some  place  of  retire 
ment,  and  pray  for  each  individually.  In  the  later  part  of 
his  life,  one  petition  in  his  public  prayers  was  as  constant 
as  it  was  appropriate  to  the  wants  of  the  age,  viz  :  that  we 
might  "  discern  things  spiritual,  spiritually." 

Deacon  Josiah  Jones  was  the  son  of  Captain  J.  Jones  of 
Stockbridge,  and  born  September  9,  1769.  He  married 
Miss  Fidelia  West,  January  6,  1797,  was  chosen  deacon 
in  1820,  and  died  February  10,  1834.  It  was  Deacon 
Jones  and  Mr.  Timothy  Turner  of  Barrington,  who  de 
vised  and  procured  the  institution  of  the  Conferences  of 
churches,  which  received  so  many  smiles  of  Heaven  be 
tween  the  years  of  1826,  and  1832.  Always  enjoying 
religious  meetings,  he  was  particularly  interested  in  these ; 


218  STOCKBRIDGE,    PAST    AND    PRESENT  ; 

but  when  they  came  to  be  looked  upon  as  a  part  of  revival 
machinery,  instead  of  a  mere  looking  for  the  blessing,  and 
an  opening  of  the  hand  to  receive  it,  he  was  as  ready  to 
see  them  discontinued  as  he  had  been  to  establish  them. 
It  is  with  pleasure  that  we  hail  a  revival  of  those  holy 
convocations.  But  may  past  experience  make  us  all  wary. 
Let  us  not  come  down  from  God,  to  trust  in  man. 

Dr.  Alfred  Perry  was  also  chosen  deacon  in  1820.  He 
was  born  in  Newington,  Ct.,  where  his  father  was  then 
pastor,  but  in  1784  removed  to  Richmond  in  this  county, 
with  his  parents.  In  1803  he  was  graduated  at  Williams 
College.  For  several  years  he  was  in  feeble  health,  but 
taught  for  a  time  in  Westfield  Academy,  and  for  a  few 
years  in  South  Carolina,  whither  he  had  gone  for  his 
health.  He  completed  his  medical  studies  at  the  Philadel 
phia  Institution,  then  under  the  care  of  Dr.  Rush,  and 
commenced  practice  in  Williamstown.  November  1, 1814, 
he  was  married  to  Miss  Lucy  Benjamin  of  that  town,  and 
in  November  1815,  he  removed  to  Stockbridge.  In  1837 
he  went  to  Illinois,  and  having  fixed  upon  a  location,  re 
moved  his  family  in  June,  1838  ;  but  died  September  10th 
of  the  same  year. 

As  a  Christian,  and  a  deacon  in  the  church,  Dr.  Perry 
was  peculiarly  active ;  and  as  a  physician  fervently  belov 
ed  by  his  patients,  and  trusted  with  a  fearlessness  which 
was  sometimes  denominated  idolatry.  He  was  a  man  of 
great  patience  and  firmness,  and  differed  from  many  of  his 
day  in  both  his  religious  and  his  medical  views  ;  but  this, 
even  to  many  who  differed  from  him,  was  but  the  means  of 
raising  their  esteem  for  his  forgiving  spirit.  It  was  very 
rare  that  he  spoke  of  the  practice  of  other  physicians,  un 
less  it  met  his  own  views  ;  and  in  religious  matters,  though 
he  steadfastly  adhered  to  what  he  believed  to  be  right,  still 
he  maintained  an  unusual  degree  of  quietness  and  self- 
possession,  and  when  convinced  of  an  error,  no  man  was 
more  prompt  to  acknowledge  it  and  seek  forgiveness. 

In  1838,  Major  Sewall  Sergeant,  and  in  1840,  Mr.  John 
Hufnagle,  were  chosen  to  the  office.  In  1847  Mr.  Hufna- 
gle  resigned,  and  the  same  year  Mr.  Joseph  I.  Crosby  and 
Mr.  William  Whitney  were  chosen. 

When  the  North  church  was  set  off,  Mr.  Daniel  Fair- 
child  and  Mr.  David  Curtis  were  chosen  deacons.  Dea- 


OR,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.  219 

con  Faircliild  died  in  1830,  and  Deacon  Curtis  removed 
soon  afterward.  J.  W.  Marsh  and  Daniel  Fairchild  Jr., 
succeeded.  Deacon  Marsh  has  since  removed,  and  Timo 
thy  Lombard  has  been  chosen  to  his  place.  Samuel  In- 
gersoll  also  held  the  office  for  a  time. 


SECTI  ON  XXXVIII. 

RELIGION. —  RADICAL    AND    PRODUCTIVE. 

Besides  the  revivals  of  religion  in  this  church  in  early 
times,  to  which  allusion  has  been  made,  there  were  others 
in  1773,  1782,  1790,  '91  and  92,  and  in  1799,  by  which 
16,  24,  46,  and  20  were  gathered  into  the  church.  For 
two  or  three  years  previous  to  January  1813,  there  was 
unusual  seriousness,  and  on  the  first  Sabbath  of  the  year, 
thirteen  united  with  the  church.  This  was  the  commence 
ment  of  a  powerful  work,  during  which  more  than  one 
hundred  were  hopefully  converted.  Sixty-seven  made  a 
profession  in  June,  and  others  afterwards.  This,  to  the 
present  day,  is  denominated  THE  revival,  and  many  inci 
dents  are  remembered  of  unusual  interest.  One  family, 
living  miles  from  the  pastor's,  was  visited  before  breakfast 
one  morning  by  the  junior  pastor,  and  a  member  of  it 
states  that  this  interest  for  their  salvation  broke  down  the 
opposition  of  heart  which  had  held  her  waking,  and  led 
her,  as  she  trusts,  to  lay  her  soul  at  the  feet  of  Jesus.  A 
convert  who  stood  at  the  head  of  a  family  complained  that 
he  had  not  the  power  to  establish  family  prayer.  He  was 
advised  to  assemble  his  family,  read  a  chapter  in  the  Bi 
ble,  and  say,  "God  be  merciful  to  me  a  sinner."  This  he 
thought  he  might  go  through,  but  no  more.  When  his 
pastor  afterwards  called  to  learn  his  success,  he  said  that 
he  had  followed  the  directions,  and  got  on  very  well  until 
it  came  to  the  time  to  stop  ;  but  that  it  seemed  as  if  he 
could  never  do.  He  found  no  trouble  in  praying  now. 

The  case  of  Dr.  Jones  has  been  published  more  than 
once.  His  wife  and  Mrs.  John  S.  Hopkins  had  been  for 


220  STOCKBRIDGE,   PAST   AND   PRESENl' ; 

some  time  united  in  prayer  for  the  conversion  of  their  hus 
bands.  The  opposition  of  Dr.  Jones  had  been  roused  by 
a  sermon  upon  moral  inability ;  and  rising  the  next  morn 
ing  in  the  same  state  of  mind,  he  passed  into  another 
room  to  which  his  wife  soon  followed  him,  committing  her 
way,  and  that  of  her  partner,  to  him  who  had  promised  to 
direct.  What  was  her  surprise  on  entering,  to  find  him 
on  his  knees,  giving  thanks  for  redeeming  grace.  As  soon 
as  she  could  leave,  she  started  to  tell  her  friend ;  but  she 
met  her  on  the  way,  coming  to  bring  similar  tidings.  It 
is  supposed  that  both  were  converted  at  the  same  moment. 

Meetings  held  by  the  pastor  for  the  particular  instruc 
tion  of  children  during  this  revival  were  very  solemn ; 
and  no  doubt  many  seeds  sown  at  that  time  in  the  fresh 
soil,  were  watered  by  unseen  drops  from  time  to  time,  until 
another  shower  of  grace  brought  them  to  light,  and  caused 
them  to  put  forth  foliage.  It  is  not  the  one  moment  of 
conversion  alone,  that  is  a  moment  of  growth  in  the  gar 
den  of  God.  Without  that  moment,  all  is  in  vain ;  but 
may  not  much  pride  and  distrust  be  mixed  with  the  sad 
ness  of  Christians  when  they  do  not  see  that  fruit  of  their 
labors  ?  It  is  always  working  time  in  the  garden,  and 
always  growing  time  ;  but  not  always  springing  time.  If 
the  laborers  are  awake,  wise,  and  busy,  looking  up,  all  will 
prosper ;  but  if  otherwise,  then  is  the  time  to  be  sad. 

The  next  revival  was  in  1821,  when  94  were  added  to 
the  church.  It  was  then,  first,  that  inquiry  meetings  were 
held  here.  Again  in  1827,  a  refreshing  was  experienced. 
It  was  early  in  that  winter  that  the  Conferences  of  the 
Churches  commenced.  Fifty-five  united  with  the  church. 
Other  revivals  were  enjoyed  in  1831,  1838,  1842,  and 
1849. 

And  now  that  we  have  marked  the  ingathering  of 
laborers,  we  will  look  at  the  various  departments  of  Chris 
tian  labor,  and  see  what  has  been  produced.  "  By  their 
fruits  ye  shall  know  them."  And  first : — 

THE  RELIGIOUS   INSTRUCTION   OF  THE  YOUNG. 

Besides  the  "Young  Men's,"  and  "Young  Women's 
Meetings,"  spoken  of  in  the  Biographical  notice  of  Dr. 
West,  the  Assembly's  Catechism  was  from  the  earliest 
times  taught  in  the  family  and  in  school.  But  as  this  was 


OR,  RECORDS  OP  AN  OLD    MISSION    STATION.  221 

too  often  done  as  a  mere  form,  unaccompanied  by  explana 
tions,  the  pupils  received  little  knowledge  unless  induced 
to  commit  it  to  memory.  But  the  form,  even  when  the 
teacher  must  turn  prompter  after  the  first  eight  or  ten 
answers,  was  not  without  its  use  in  keeping  up  in  the  mind 
of  the  child  an  impression  that  the  Lord  was  the  God ; 
though  the  penance  of  receiving  instruction  of  which  he 
understood  nothing,  after  the  usual  hour  for  school  to 
close,  when  his  mind  was  occupied  with  his  state  of  fasting, 
and  with  the  Saturday  afternoon  sports,  which  he  felt  were 
every  moment  retrenched,  had  not  a  tendency  to  give  those 
whose  religious  instruction  was  limited  to  the  school,  a 
very  deep  or  lively  impression  of  the  pleasure  and  duty 
of  giving  to  that  God  the  first  and  the  best.  The  compar 
atively  few  who  could  repeat  the  whole  had  a  fund  for 
other  years;  yet  even  to  them  there  was  this 'drawback, 
that  what  is  committed  to  memory  without  the  understand 
ing,  seems  seldom  so  vividly  significant  in  after  life,  the 
mind  having  become  habituated  to  the  words,  disconnected 
from  the  ideas. 

But  in  Stockbridge,  all  these  evils  were  remedied,  so 
far  as  it  could  be  done  after  their  occurrence,  by  a  course 
of  Catechetical  Lectures  delivered  by  Mr.  Field  previous 
to  the  removal  of  the  congregation  from  the  old  church. 
Then  the  lock  of  the  Catechism  sprang  open,  and  the  light 
that  streamed  from  its  pages  was  seen  and  felt  to  be  but  a 
reflection  from  the  Oracles  of  God.  And  why  might  not 
our  pastors,  without  increasing  their  labors,  deliver,  at 
least  once  during  each  settlement,  a  similar  course  on 
Sabbath  mornings,  the  answers  commented  upon  being  the 
lesson  for  the  day  in  the  Sunday  School  ?  Would  it  not 
have  the  effect  to  make  their  hearers  more  sound  in  the 
faith,  without  any  loss  of  spirituality  ? 

It  is  believed  to  have  been  during  the  summer  of  1813, 
that  three  females  gathered  a  few  children  in  a  chamber 
of  the  house  of  Dr.  Jones,  the  one  now  occupied  by  Mr. 
Sheldon,  and  taught  them  on  Sabbath  afternoon.  The 
next  summer  a  Sabbath  School  was  opened  in  the  west 
room  of  the  "  old  Academy."  The  following  summer  it 
was  so  increased  that  it  was  taught  in  the  upper  room, 
still  as  a  third  exercise.  Other  parts  of  the  town  united 
at  the  church,  and  employed  the  intermission  in  instruc- 


222  STOCKBRIDGE,   PAST  AND  PRESENT  ; 

tion,  and  about  1817,  the  village  school  was  brought  under 
the  same  regulations. 

The  Library  was  purchased  soon  after  the  removal  to 
the  present  house  of  worship.  It  now  consists  of  nearly 
six  hundred  volumes.  Curtisville  and  Glendale  have  also 
Sabbath  School  Libraries,  as  has  the  Episcopal  Church. 

About  the  year  1824—5,  Mr.  Field  commenced  the 
instruction  of  a  Bible  Class.  For  a  time  the  pupils  were 
questioned  upon  the  lesson,  and  then  the  pastor  com 
mented  upon  the  whole,  closing,  as  he  had  commenced, 
with  prayer.  After  some  years,  the  exercise  of  recitation 
was  somewhat  shortened,  and  a  question,  previously  pro 
pounded,  was  discussed.  Tins  was  the  course  pursued 
during  the  Summer  of  1828,  but  towards  the  close  of  that 
season,  (we  believe,)  the  pupils  were  requested  to  write 
upon  the  questions,  and  read  their  own  essays.  This  was 
of  great  benefit.  When  in  June  1829,  a  missionary  to 
Asia  was  examined  for  ordination  in  this  vicinity,  and 
some  of  the  greatest  divines  in  the  country  were  called 
upon  the  council,  it  was  observed  that  not  one  question 
upon  Theology  was  propounded  to  the  candidate,  which 
had  not  become,  in  Mr.  Field's  Bible  Class,  as  familiar  as 
the  "  Cradle  Hymn."  This  class,  we  are  ashamed  to  say, 
was  discontinued  for  want  of  pupils  before  the  dismission 
of  Dr.  Field.  Another  was  commenced  during  the  Sum 
mer  of  1837,  and  to  place  it  on  a  permanent  footing,  about 
twenty  pupils  were  pledged  to  attend.  The  lesson  was  a 
question  of  Theology,  which  the  pupils  were  to  prove 
fully  from  Scripture,  the  proofs  being  written  in  a  book 
kept  for  the  purpose,  and  read  at  the  meetings.  Being 
absent  from  Stockbridge  after  August,  the  writer  of  this 
reminiscence  is  unable  to  give  its  farther  progress,  save 
that  it  was  not  in  existence  the  following  winter. 

Mr.  Dashiell  has  now  a  Bible  Class  in  which  he  is  ex 
pounding  the  Assembly's  Catechism.  May  command 
ment  be  given  concerning  it,  "  destroy  it  not,  for  a  blessing 
is  in  it." 

At  times  a  Bible  Class  has  also  been  taught  in  Curtis 
ville,  and  also  by  Mr.  Parker,  the  Episcopal  clergyman. 

The  Sabbath  School  Concert  has  been  observed  for 
many  years,  but  not  regularly,  or  with  due  spirit.  A  Ma 
ternal  Association  was  established  about  1831  or  '32 ;  but 


OR,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.         223 

the  same  may  be  said  of  it  as  has  been  said  of  the  Sab 
bath  School  Concert ;  and  for  several  years  past  it  has 
been  entirely  discontinued. 

2D-       PROMOTION    OF    CHRISTIAN    MORALS. 

During  the  war  of  1812,  the  people  were  much  annoyed 
by  the  passing  of  teams  on  the  Sabbath,  going  to  and 
from  the  army.  The  road  through  here  was  at  the  time  a 
thoroughfare.  On  this  account  a  "Moral  Society"  was 
formed,  which  had  for  its  object  the  suppression  of  Intem 
perance,  Sabbath-breaking,  and  Profanity.  Members 
took  their  turns  in  spending  the  Sabbath  at  the  Hotel  to 
stop  travelers,  hand-bill  tracts  were  circulated,  and  efforts 
were  made  to  purify  the  sacred  inclosure  of  the  church 
from  these  sins.  But  the  public  mind  was  not  ripe  for 
these  doctrines,  and  especially  when  they  were  carried 
out ;  and,  brow-beaten  and  discouraged,  the  Society  be 
came  extinct.  Since  then,  no  especial  efforts  have  been 
made  in  behalf  of  the  3d  or  the  4th  commandment.  They 
are  as  well  observed  as  in  other  New  England  villages,  but 
not  as  well  as  they  should  be,  certainly.  Sadly  would  our 
ancestors  have  sighed,  had  they  foreseen  that  at  the  pres 
ent  enlightened  age,  professors  of  religion  could  be  found 
who  not  only  were  tardy  in  commencing  the  Sabbath,  but 
acted  upon  the  principle  that  its  sacredness  began  to 
abate  as  its  shadows  lengthened. 

The  American  Temperance  Society  was  formed  in 
Boston,  Feb.  13,  1826,  and  met  first,  as  a  Society,  on  the 
12th  of  March  the  same  year.  An  auxiliary  Society  was 
formed  in  Stockbridge  through  the  energetic  efforts  of  Dr. 
Perry,  as  early  as  the  Summer  of  1827,  and  we  believe 
during  the  Summer  of  1826.  The  cause  received  a  new 
impulse  some  years  afterward,  when  the  plan  of  total  ab 
stinence  was  adopted.  From  1840  to  1843,  it  was  unusu 
ally  flourishing ;  and  within  the  last  two  years  has  again 
excited  interest.  During  the  autumn  of  1851,  a  spirited 
County  Meeting  was  held  in  the  South  Church,  the  house 
being  beautifully  and  appropriately  decorated  by  the  young 
ladies,  assisted,  of  course,  by  the  gentlemen.  In  these 
decorations  our  younger  sister,  Maine,  received  her  just 
meed  of  praise.  We  kept  her  long  under  our  fostering 


224  STOCKBRIDGE,  PAST  AND   PRESENT; 

care,  as  if  she  were  incapable  of  managing  her  own  con 
cerns  ;  but  since  she  has  slipped  the  leading  strings  of 
Massachusetts,  she  has  "  grown  wiser  than  her  teachers." 
Her  plan  of  burying  the  tyrant,  reminds  one  of  the  stanza 
in  a  parody  often  sung  during  the  "  Harrison  Campaign" — 

"Who  dug  his  grave? 
I,  says  sturdy  Maine,  and  I'll  do  it  again  ! 
I  dug  his  grave.'' 

3D.       RELIGIOUS    CHARITIES. 

The  Berkshire  and  Columbia  Missionary  Society  was 
formed  February  21,  1798,  and  up  to  1829,  its  funds 
amounted  to  $13,776,03.  Of  this  sum  Stockbridge  con 
tributed  $758,60,  and  Lee  $708,73.  No  other  town  had 
gone  over  $339,16,  the  sum  contributed  by  Richmond. 
The  object  of  the  Society  was  what  is  now  called  Home 
Missions.  Its  anniversary  was  the  third  Tuesday  in  Sep 
tember. 

The  Berkshire  Bible  Society  was  organized  June  17, 
1817.  In  1829,  Stockbridge  collected  for  this  object  $90,- 
64.  Lenox,  Lee  and  Pittsfield  exceeded  us.  Lenox  gave 
$100,  Lee  $109,31,  and  Pittsfield  $205,66. 

July  6,  1818,  the  County  Education  Society  was  form 
ed.  Up  to  1829,  Stockbridge  had  given  $159,98,  Pitts- 
field  $585,40,  Lee  $356,39.  No  other  town  had  reached 
$100. 

June  15,  1825,  the  Berkshire  Missionary  Society  was 
formed.  In  1829,  Stockbridge  gave  $152,87  to  this  ob 
ject,  but  was  exceeded  by  Williamstown,  Pittsfield,  Lenox 
and  Lee.  "  Let  us  consider  one  another,  to  provoke  unto 
love  and  good  works."* 

A  Cent  Society  was  formed  in  Stockbridge  when  that 
plan  of  charity  was  in  operation,  which  continued  for 
several  years. 


*  We  find,  by  examining  the  report  of  charities  laid  before 
the  Berkshire  Association,  that,  exclusive  of  bequests,  and  of 
the  sums  raised  by  Sewing  Societies,  the  Congregational 
Churches  in  Stockbridge  gave  in  1851,  $632;  Lee  $755, 86; 
Hinsdale  $811,71 ;  and  Pittsfield  $1755,30.  Hinsdale  Sew 
ing  Society  raised  $6,10  ;  and  Pittsfield  $25,70.  No  other 
towns  raised,  with  the  above  mentioned  exclusions,  over 
$575,61,  the  donation  of  Lenox. 


OR,  RECORDS  OP  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.  225 

As  early  as  1817  or  18,  the  ladies  of  the  village  and  its 
vicinity  formed  a  Sewing  Society.  This  was  when  such 
organizations  were  almost  unknown ;  for  a  writer  for  the 
Christian  Intelligencer,  (which  was  not  commenced  until 
May,  1817,)  and  we  think  during  its  2d  year,  gives  an  ac 
count  of  such  a  Society  in  Pittsfield,  where  he  had  just 
been  visiting,  recommending  it  to  the  consideration  of 
ladies  throughout  the  country.  Previous  to  September  20, 
1820,  this  Society  had  adopted  the  rule  of  making  a  small 
bridal  present  to  each  member  at  her  marriage.  One  of 
the  early  objects  to  which  its  funds  were  appropriated,  was 
the  education  cause.  But  after  the  establishment  of  the 
Academy  here,  several  circumstances  transpired  to  lessen 
the  regard  of  the  people  for  the  operations  of  the  Educa 
tion  Society,  and  the  Sewing  Society  became  extinct  for  a 
season,  after  the  Summer  of  1823.  But  in  the  autumn  of 
1824  it  was  in  active  operation ;  and  during  the  Greek 
struggle,  a  box  of  clothing  was  sent  to  the  sufferers. 
After  the  establishment  of  the  Smyrna  Mission  by  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Brewer,  the  funds  of  this  Society  were  appropri 
ated  to  the  support  of  its  School.  In  1838,  the  Mission 
was  broken  up  ;  and  for  a  time  after  that  date,  the  ladies 
supported  a  Colporteur  in  France.  This  was  then  the  only 
effort  of  the  kind  made  in  this  country.  In  1841,  this 
Society  also  became  extinct ;  but  in  the  Spring  of  1843,  a 
new  one  was  formed  for  the  repairing  and  beautifying  of 
the  church  edifice,  which  continued  until  the  Summer  of 
1848.  In  the  autumn  of  1850,  a  new  organization  was 
effected,  without  any  fixed  object.  Several  causes  have 
already  been  aided. 

Besides  the  objects  above  named,  sums  have  at  times 
been  appropriated  to  others ;  but  these  are  the  principal. 
For  several  years  the  ladies  of  the  East  part  of  the  town 
were  united  with  those  of  the  village  in  the  support  of  the 
Greek,  or  as  it  was  sometimes  called,  the  Stockbridge 
School  in  Smyrna.  Afterwards  they  had  an  organization 
of  their  own,  and  have  been  engaged  in  filling  boxes  for 
different  Missionary  stations.  Besides  these,  other  boxes 
have  been  often  filled,  averaging  for  the  last  seven  or  eight 
years,  about  one  annually.  Several  Juvenile  Societies 
have  also  existed  for  a  time.  During  the  continuance  of 
the  Foreign  Mission  School,  loads  of  clothing  and  provis- 


226  STOCKBRIDGE,  PAST  AND  PRESENT  J 

ion  were  sent  from  this  place  ;  aid  was  furnished  to  the 
Madeira  Isles  in  their  distress,  and  also  to  Ireland.  When 
Kossuth  landed  upon  our  shores,  Stockbridge  was  the  first 
town  in  the  State  to  lend  him  a  helping  hand.  Upon  a 
notice  of  ten  days,  $150  were  raised  by  a  Fair,  though  the 
evening  was  unusually  tempestuous,  and  in  the  course  of 
the  week  the  sum  was  increased  by  donations  to  $200.  A 
description  of  this  Fair,  together  with  the  letter  of  Kos 
suth  to  the  ladies  of  Stockbridge,  we  give  in  the  Appen 
dix,  (I.) 

At  one  time,  some  thirty  years  ago,  a  Society  existed 
here  auxiliary  to  the  Society  for  Meliorating  the  condition 
of  the  Jews.  But  it  declined  with  the  parent  Society, 
and  has  not,  with  that,  been  revived.  That  object,  how 
ever,  has  been  admitted  as  one  to  claim  attention  in  future  ; 
collections  to  be  taken  in  November. 

About  1840,  the  South  Congregational  Society  adopted 
a  system  of  Charities  which  is  still  observed.  Seven  ob 
jects  were  selected  as  those  which  should  receive  the  pat 
ronage  of  the  people,  and  be  admitted  into  the  pulpit  an 
nually.  To  each  of  these  was  assigned  its  period  ;  a 
Treasurer  and  Secretary  are  appointed  for  each  at  the 
annual  meeting,  who,  in  their  turn,  appoint  their  Collectors, 
and  receive  and  transmit  the  funds.  The  objects  these 
aided  are,  for  January  and  February,  the  Seaman's  Friend 
Society  ;  Receipt  in  1852,  $38,00.  March  and  April, 
Theological  Education  at  the  West;  Receipt  in  1851,  $30,- 
00.*  May  and  June,  A.  B.  C.  F.  Missions  ;  Receipt  in 
1851  $54,00.  July,  Colonization  Society  ;  Receipt  in 

1851,  $21,00.     August   and    September,    Tract    Society, 
$53,50.     October  and  November,   Home  Missions  ;  Re 
ceipt  in  1851,  $63,00.    November,  Jews'  Society;  Receipt 
in  1852,  $12,00.     December,  Bible   Society;  Receipt  in 

1852,  $56,00. 

During  the  Summer  of  1851,  the  American  and  For 
eign  Christian  Union  was  allowed  to  present  its  claims, 
and  $69  were  collected.  $85  were  also  given  to  Mr.  By- 
ington,  then  on  a  visit  to  his  old  home,  besides  $25  in  goods. 
Thus,  though  we  profess  not  to  have  engaged  in  the  cause 


object  was  omitted  in  1852;  and  its  payments  may 
not  be  resumed. 


OR,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD    MISSION  STATION.  227 

of  charity  with  that  fervent  gratitude  which  it  demands, 
and  while  the  Scripture  proportions  between  "  outward 
adorning,"  and  "  good  works  "  is  not  always  observed,  we 
may  still  say  with  the  inspired  penman,  "  Thanks  be  unto 
God  for  this  unspeakable  gift." 

MISSIONARIES. 

Stockbridge  has  not  only  given  for  the  support  of  Mis 
sions,  but  the  Concert  of  Prayer  was  early  established, 
and  is  well  sustained,  and  of  her  own  sons  and  daughters 
she  has  contributed  laborers  for  the  work.  Rev.  Stephen 
Peet,  an  early  Home  Missionary,  was  from  Stockbridge, 
and  teachers  in  the  far  West  and  South  claim  this  as  their 
home.  But  passing  over  the  early  missions  which  have 
been  mentioned  in  the  Indian  History,  and  the  benevolent 
labors  among  those  of  our  own  Anglo  Saxon  race,  we  will 
only  notice  those  who  have  entered  the  foreign  field. 

Rev.  CYRUS  BYINGTON,  son  of  Captain  Asahel  and 
Mrs.  Lucy  Byington,  was  born  March  11, 1793,  in  a  house 
built  by  Judge  Sedgwick,  not  far  from  the  river,  and  west 
of  his  own  residence.  This  house  was  afterward  moved 
to  the  south  end  of  the  bridge,  on  the  Barrington  road,  but 
is  not  now  standing.  From  this  house  Mr.  Byington  was 
soon  removed  to  what  was  called  "  the  Peck  house,"  which 
stood  on  the  site  afterwards  occupied  by  Mr.  F.  Dresser  ; 
now  by  Mr.  Pierce.  When  about  nine  years  old,  he  again 
moved  with  his  parents  into  the  house  in  Goodrich  Street, 
where  they  died.  But  here  he  did  not  long  remain,  being 
placed  in  the  family  of  J.  Woodbridge,  Esq.,  in  the  village, 
where  he  continued  until  he  was  fitted  for  the  practice  of 
Law.  During  the  revival  of  1813,  he  was  converted  ;  and 
he  points  out  the  present  dwelling  of  Mr.  Dashiell  as  the 
place  of  his  second  birth.  After  engaging  for  a  time  in 
the  practice  of  Law,  he  decided  to  study  Divinity,  and  en 
tered  the  Theological  Seminary  at  Andover.  While  there, 
Missionaries  came  from  Georgia,  and  one  of  the  Profes 
sors  hinted  the  subject  of  Missions  to  Mr.  Byington.  The 
seed  ef  thought  took  root,  for  the  plowshare  of  the  Al 
mighty  had  prepared  the  soil ;  and  when  one  of  the  Mis 
sionaries  visited  him  with  the  Professor,  and  talked  to  him 
of  Indian  Missions,  "  my  heart "  he  says,  "  caught  fire,  and 
I  said,  <  Here  am  I,  send  me.'  "  "  I  thought  so,"  said  the 


228  STOCKBRIDGE,    PAST   AND    PRESENT; 

Professor,  who  had  observed  that  his  mind  was  ill  at  ease. 

In  the  autumn  of  1821,  a  company  of  Missionaries  left 
Worthington  in  this  State,  for  the  South.  The  farewell 
meeting  was  so  full  that  the  church  was  endangered  by 
the  weight.  They  sung  "  When  shall  we  all  meet  again," 
and  then  in  a  large  baggage  wagon,  with  a  basket  hung 
between  the  seats,  in  which  to  cradle  the  infant,  they  set 
forth.  On  their  reaching  Stockbridge  they  paused  awhile, 
and  the  good  people  assembled  for  prayer.  The  children 
of  the  village  school  were  also  taken  to  the  public  house 
to  visit  them.  Mr.  Byington  was  directed  to  accompany 
them  a  part  of  the  way,  and  then  he  was  advised  to  join 
the  Mission.  He  left  home  September  20,  taking  with 
him  his  sister's  Bible,  and  "  Saint's  Rest,"  the  gift  of  his 
mother.  That  mother  and  sister  he  never  saw  again.  His 
youngest  sister  joined  him  after  he  had  followed  the  In 
dians  through  the  waste  and  howling  wilderness  to  the 
wild  home  to  which  a  Christian  (?)  government  had  driven 
them ;  but  she  died  soon  afterward,  July  29,  1839,  aged 
thirty-five.  Mr.  Byington  has  spent  the  last  two  Summers 
chiefly  in  New  York,  superintending  the  printing  of  the 
Bible  in  the  Choctaw  language.  His  station  among  that 
people  he  has  named  Stockbridge,  and  like  nearly  every 
Stockbridgean,  he  retains  a  strong  fondness  for  home. 

Rev.  JOSIAH  BREWER  was  a  native  of  Monterey,  in 
this  County,  then  known  only  as  Tyringham  ;  but  in  early 
life  became  a  resident  of  this  town,  and  afterwards  a  mem 
ber  of  this  church.  He  graduated  at  Yale  College,  and 
was  sent  as  a  Missionary  to  the  Jews.  But  deciding  to 
labor  among  the  Greeks,  he  returned  and  married  Miss 
Emilia  H.  A.  Field,  December  1,  1829,  and  soon  after  sail 
ed  for  Smyrna.  Miss  Field,  born  in  Haddam,  Ct.,  Febru 
ary  22,  1807,  came  to  this  town  soon  after  her  father's  set 
tlement  here,  was  hopefully  converted  in  Wethersfield, 
united  with  this  church,  and  went  from  here  to  Smyrna. — 
Mr.  Brewer  and  family  returned  to  this  country  in  the 
autumn  of  1838,  and  now  reside  in  Middletown,  Ct. 

Miss  CATHARINE  WATSON  spent  much  of  her  early  life 
in  Stockbridge,  and  was  married  from  here  in  August, 
1832.  She  was  the  daughter  of  Ebenezer  Watson,  and 
grand-daughter  of  Judge  Sedgwick.  She  Married  Rev. 
Mr.  Webb,  Missionary  of  the  Baptist  Board  to  Burmah. 


OR,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.        229 

They  returned  for  health  some  years  since,  and  Mrs.  Webb 
died  during  the  winter  of  1847,  aged  about  40. 

Miss  Catharine  S.  Sergeant,  daughter  of  deacon  Sewall 
Sergeant,  was  born  in  Stockbridge  April  10,  1817,  united 
with  the  church  in  this  place  in  1831 ;  but  from  that  time 
until  her  embarkation  as  a  missionary,  resided  generally 
in  Rochester,  N.  Y.  She  married  Henry  A.  DeForest, 
M.  D.,  August  6,  1840,  sailed  for  France  September  26, 
1841,  and  joined  the  Syrian  Mission  in  the  Spring  of  1842. 
Station,  Beyrout. 

Miss  Sarah  L.  Perry,  daughter  of  Mr.  Frederic  Perry, 
was  born  in  the  West  part  of  this  town,  January  27, 1824; 
united  with  the  church  in  Curtisville,  and  was  married  in 
the  church  in  that  village,  to  Rev.  Philander  O.  Powers, 
November  9,  1842.  She  soon  sailed  for  their  field  of 
labor,  Broosa,  but  afterwards  removed  to  Trebizond. 

Miss  Mary  Perry,  daughter  of  Dr.  Perry,  was  born  in 
Stockbridge  February  28,  1826,  and  would  have  united 
with  this  church  at  the  age  of  12,  the  church  not  wishing 
to  admit  members  at  an  earlier  age,  but  the  unsettled  state 
of  the  family  prevented,  and  she  did  not  make  a  profes 
sion  until  1842,  when  she  united  with  the  church  in  Wil- 
liamstown.  September  8,  1847,  she  was  married  to  Rev. 
J.  Edwards  Ford,  missionary  to  Syria.  They  sailed  late 
in  December,  1847,  and  were  stationed  at  Aleppo. 

Susan  Jane,  daughter  of  Mr.  Jonathan  Johnson,  of  the 
Northeast  part  of  Stockbridge,  left  in  October  1852,  for 
the  Choctaw  Nation,  as  a  teacher  under  the  direction  of 
the  Methodist  Board.  She  accompanied  Rev.  Mr.  Carr 
and  wife,  and  establishes  with  them  a  new  Station.  Age,  22. 


SECTION    XXXIX. 


GENERAL      LITERATURE. 

In  1760,  £6  10s  were  voted  by  the  town  to  be  appropria 
ted  to  the  establishment'  of  an  English  School.     Again  in 
1762,  £20  were  appropriated  to  the   English   School,  and 
Josiah  Jones  and  Stephen  Nash  were  chosen  as  the  com- 
11 


230  STOCKBRIDGE,  PAST    AND  PRESENT  ; 

mittee.  In  1763,  the  Selectmen  were  ordered  to  take 
charge  of  the  same,  and  procure  a  teacher.  £30  were 
voted.  These  sums  were  to  support  the  school  as  long  as 
they  held  out,  and  at  first  probably  paid  a  teacher  but  part 
of  the  year.  In  1764,  two  school-houses  were  ordered  to 
be  built,  one  near  Deacon  Samuel  Brown's,  and  the  other 
on  the  "Plain."  The  first  was  eventually  placed  on  the 
high  ground  at  the  corner  below  Mr.  F.  Perry's,  and  the 
other  near  the  house  of  Mrs.  J.  Sedgwick.  The  vote  was 
obtained  to  build  it  on  the  hill ;  but  there  is  no  tradition  of 
an  early  house  there,  and  before  1785,  one  had  been  built 
for  whites  on  the  first  mentioned  site,  and  worn  out,  which 
argues  that  the  vote  was  rescinded.  The  question  was  not 
settled  until  1765.  In  1767,  £35  were  voted,  and  the 
same  in  1768.  In  1769,  Brown's  school-house  was  moved 
to  its  final  location,  and  the  North  part  of  the  town  was 
set  off  as  a  separate  district,  to  extend  as  "far  South  as 
Orangh  Stoddard's."  In  1774,  the  East  Street  district  was 
set  off,  upon  the  petition  of  Samuel  Whelpley,  Ebenezer 
Murray,  Caleb  Galpin,  Hall,  Smith,  Gray,  Gershom  and 
Pond,  residents.  The  sum  for  the  support  of  schools  was 
then  over  £50.  In  1781  and  '83,  it  was  £100  each  year; 
in  1785,  £75;  in  1786,  £100;  in  1787,  £80;  in  '88,  92; 
in  '92,  92 ;  in  '94,  125  ;  in  '97,  $500 ;  in  '98,  750 ;  in  '99 
and  1800,  the  same.  In  the  last  named  year  a  committee 
was  chosen  to  visit  the  schools,  consisting  of  Rev.  Dr. 
West,  Judge  Bacon  and  Barnabas  Bidwell  Esqs.  —  a  trio 
not  to  be  lightly  esteemed.  The  sum  of  $750  was  also 
voted  in  1802,  3,  4  and  6. 

Towards  the  close  of  the  century,  a  small  house  was 
built  at  the  South  end  of  Goodrich  Street,  in  which  Mrs. 
Jemima  Nicholson,  a  sister  of  the  Woodbridges,  taught 
small  children  a  part  of  the  year.  The  earliest  village 
teachers  known,  were  Desire  Nash,  Mrs.  Kirkland,  Sarah 
Gray,  Martha  Williams,  (afterwards  Mrs  Jeremiah  West  of 
Tolland,)  and  Mr.  Gleazen.  On  the  East  Street,  Rebecca 
Galpin,  Solomon  Jones,  Gleason,  Coffin  and  Johnson  ;  and 
in  the  Brown  District,  "Master  Norton"  and  Miss  Anna 
Phelps.  But  none  of  these  certainly,  were  the  first.  To 
the  earliest  teachers  "the  memory  of  man  runneth  not." 
In  Curtisville,  the  eccentric  "Master  Norton"  was  first. 
He  was  followed  by  Hosford,  Collins,  Church  and  Rachel 
Frisbee. 


OR,  RECORDS  OP  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.          231 

In  later  times,  a  school-house  was  built  at  the  corner 
opposite  the  house  of  Mr.  S.  TV.  Jones.  Here  Theo 
dore  Dwiglit,  John  Kirkland,  afterwards  president 
of  Harvard,  Dr.  Joseph  Catlin,  and  "Ma'am  Pynchon" 
taught.  The  great  effort  of  the  last  was  to  teach  spelling 
and  politeness.  At  the  same  time  Miss  Phelps  was  teach 
ing  at  the  corner  on  the  hill,  Miss  Polly  Donnelly,  after 
wards  the  2d  wife  of  Mr.  Kirkland,  the  missionary,  taught 
in  the  old  Indian  boarding  school  house,  and  afterwards  in 
the  house  now  occupied  by  Mrs.  H.  Curtis,  at  the  West 
end  of  the  village.  The  main  branch  taught  in  her  school 
was  sewing. 

But,  noted  as  were  these  two  female  teachers  in  their 
day,  and  great  as  was  the  respect  ever  entertained  for 
them  by  their  pupils,  they  were  fully  equaled  by  Miss 
Abby  D.,  of  a  later  period.  "Miss  Abby"  taught  for  sev 
eral  years  previous  to  1811.  Long  will  her  pupils  re 
member  her  influence,  quiet,  yet  strong,  and  the  magic 
power  of  "the  bugles,"  an  ornamented  necklace  of  black 
velvet,  to  win  which  was  their  highest  ambition.  After 
her  came  Mrs.  L.,  a  woman  of  devoted  piety,  but  eccen 
tric  in  views.  Like  Miss  Pynchon,  she  too  taught  the 
various  forms  of  etiquette,  but  mingled  the  ludicrous  with 
the  useful,  to  produce  effect.  Our  next  teacher  was  Miss 
Clarissa  Jones,  from  Hebron,  Ct.,  a  teacher  as  unlike  Mrs. 
L.  as  two  true  Christians  could  be.  The  exercises  of  the 
day  were  distinguished  only  by  the  meekness  and  quiet 
ness  of  the  teacher,  except  that  on  Monday  morning  each 
pupil  recited  a  Scripture  lesson  ;  but  at  the  close-  Miss  J. 
would  kneel  down  at  one  end  of  the  room,  and  commend 
us  to  her  God  so  devoutly,  and  with  such  simplicity,  that 
the  heart  must  have  been  hard  indeed  which  did  not  feel 
itself  in  the  presence  of  Jehovah.  But  Miss  J.,  though 
young,  was  ripe  for  Heaven,  and,  assuring  those  around 
her  that  her  Savior  was  in  sight,  she  took  her  departure, 
October  23,  1815,  at  the  age  of  28. 

Our  present  village  school-house  is  fifty  or  sixty  years 
old,  the  first  which  stood  upon  that  spot  having  been  con 
sumed  by  fire.  It  is  said  that  the  site  was  once  low  ground, 
and  overgrown  by  whortle-berry  bushes. 

A  Select  School  has  several  times  been  taught  in  Cur- 
tisville  for  a  short  season.  That  district  was  divided  in 
1837. 


232  STOCKBR1DGE,  PAST  AND  PRESENT; 

Stockbridge  Academy  was  incorporated  in  1828.  Ma 
jor  Jared  Curtis,  since  Chaplain  in  the  Prison  at  Charles- 
town,  had  been  teaching  a  select  school  in  the  village  for  a 
few  months,  and  was  chosen  Preceptor.  The  school  was 
then,  and  indeed  until  about  1837,  was  taught  in  what  is 
now  called  the  Lecture  Room.  After  a  time,  the  school  of 
Major  Curtis  so  far  increased  that  Miss  Frances  E.  Jones 
was  employed  as  assistant.  It  was  not  long,  however,  be 
fore  Miss  Jones  was  induced  to  establish  a  separate  school 
for  children  and  young  ladies,  which  she  continued  with 
much  success  until  1826.  Mr.  Levi  Clafflin  filled  her 
place  as  assistant.  In  1825  Major  Curtis  left  to  study 
Theology.  Mr.  Jonathan  Cutler  commenced,  September, 
1825,  and  taught  until  June,  1826.  After  him,  were, 
Mark  Hopkins,  Elijah  Whitney,  Rufus  Townsend,  J.  M. 
Howard,  and  Julius  A.  Fay.  By  the  exertions  of  Mr. 
Fay,  the  funds  for  the  new  building  were  obtained.  But 
he  left,  not  far  from  the  time  of  its  completion.  Mr. 
Wolcott,  Episcopal  Clergyman,  afterwards  taught  for  a 
time,  and  was  followed  by  Mr.  M.  Warner,  and  Mr.  H. 
Carter.  In  1840,  Mr.  Edward  W.  B.  Canning,  who  had 
been  teaching  in  Wheeling,  Va.?  took  charge  of  the  school, 
and  still  continues  at  the  post.  The  pupils  average  forty 
per  term.  Mr.  Cyrus  Williams  left  a  fund  to  this  school 
in  1841,  of  $3,000,  and  it  has  since  been  called  the  Wil 
liams  Academy.  Rev.  Noah  Sheldon  taught  a  boarding 
school  for  boys  in  the  village,  from  1829  to  1840.  Dur 
ing  much  of  that  time,  another^  similar  school  was  taught 
by  Rev.  Samuel  P.  Parker.  Mr.  Marshall  Warner,  after 
teaching  in  the  Academy,  established  a  third  boarding 
school  in  the  West  part  of  the  town.  Mr.  Henry  Carter 
established  one  in  the  village  in  November,  1840,  and  Mr. 
F.  Fowler  commenced  another  in  the  Spring  of  1851.* 

In  1827,  Miss  Charlotte  Whitney  commenced  in  her 
own  house  a  school  for  children,  which  she  afterwards 
taught  elsewhere  until  she  erected  the  East  part  of  what 
is  now  the  house  of  Dr.  Adams,  and  opened  her  school  in 
that.  Miss  Lucy  Atwater  joined  her,  and  erected  the 
West  part.  The  school  was  very  popular,  and  was  only 

*  The  last  of  these  closed  during  the  present  year.  The 
others  continue. 


OR,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.         233 

broken  up,  like  that  of  Miss  Jones,  by  the  marriage  of  the 
teacher, — in  1841.  Miss  Atwater  was  teaching  elsewhere. 

Previous  to  the  establishment  of  Williams  College,  va 
rious  young  men  were  educated  elsewhere,  generally  at 
Yale,  Princeton,  or  Harvard.  When  that  institution  was 
founded  Dr.  West  was  appointed  Vice  President  and 
Trustee,  which  offices  he  held  from  1793  to  1812.  Judge 
Bacon,  Judge  Sedgwick,  and  Colonel  Williams  were  also 
chosen  Trustees  at  the  same  time.  In  1806  Joseph 
Woodbridge  Esq.  was  chosen;  in  1814  Dr.  Thaddeus 
Pomeroy;  1829  Colonel  Henry  W.  Dwight,  and  in  1836 
Mark  Hopkins,  also  President.  At  the  same  time  Mr. 
Hopkins  was  chosen  Professor  of  Moral  Philosophy  and 
Metaphysics,  having  been,  since  1830,  Professor  of  Moral 
Philosophy  and  Rhetoric.  Albert  Hopkins  was  chosen 
Professor  of  Mathematics  and  Natural  Philosophy  in  1829. 
Mark  Hopkins  was  chosen  to  the  Presidency  in  1836. 
During  the  winter  of  1852  he  was  employed  to  deliver 
Lectures  before  the  Smithsonian  Institute. 

The  Tutors  furnished  by  Stockbridge  to  Williams  Col 
lege  are,  Chauncey  Lusk,  from  1796  to  1798 ;  Jared  Cur 
tis,  from  1803  to  1804;  Mark  Hopkins,  from  1825  to 
1827,  and  Albert  Hopkins  from  1827  to  1829. 

The  first  class  of  graduates  from  Williams  College  was 
composed  of  Samuel  Bishop,  John  Collins,  Chauncey 
Lusk,  and  Dan  Stone.  All  lived  in  Stockbridge  except 
Collins,  who  was  a  near  neighbor  of  the  other  three,  but 
lived  within  the  bounds  of  Lenox.  This  was  in  1795.  In 
1798,  Amasa  Jerome  and  Oliver  Sergeant  were  graduated. 
Both  studied  Divinity.  Mr.  J.  was  for  a  time  employed 
as  Home  Missionary,  but  afterwards  settled  in  New  Hart 
ford,  Ct. 

In  1800,  Jared  Curtis  was  graduated.  Having  been 
employed  in  other  departments  for  many  years,  he  was 
Ordained,  and  has  since  been  Chaplain,  first  in  Auburn 
State  Prison,  and  until  June,  1852,  in  the  Prison  at 
Charlestown.  In  1804,  the  graduates  from  Stockbridge 
were  Henry  D.  and  Robert  Sedgwick.  1805,  Lot  Hew, 
who,  for  a  time  taught  school  among  the  Stockbridge  Indi 
ans.  In  1808  Richard  H.  Ashley,  now  teacher  in  New 
Canaan,  N.  Y.  1818,  John  Whiton,  Clergyman.  1820, 
Edward  Fairchild,  Minister,  teacher  in  Brooklyn,  and 


234  STOCKBRIDGE,   PAST   AND    PRESENT; 

Agent  for  the  A.  F.  C.  Union.  1824,  Mark  Hopkins,  now 
President  of  the  College,  Minister.  1825,  Robert  Brown 
and  Calvin  Durfee,  Ministers.  1826,  Albert  Hopkins, 
Professor  in  the  College,  Minister.  1827,  Moses  Ashley 
Curtis,  Minister.  1828,  William  P.  Palmer,  Lawyer  in 
New  York.  1832,  Jonathan  E.  Field,  Lawyer  in  Stock- 
bridge.  1837,  William  H.  Whitney,  Editor  in  Pittsburg, 
Stephen  J.  Field,  Lawyer  in  California,  and  George  N. 
Turner.  1838,  Henry  M.  Field,  Minister  of  West  Spring 
field.  1844,  George  W.  Burrall,  M.  D.,in  Illinois.  1847, 
Charles  B.  Sheldon,  Minister  in  Ohio ;  Samuel  B.  Shel 
don,  who  died  while  fitting  for  the  Ministry ;  and  Henry 
Fowler,  for  a  time  Editor  of  Holden's  Magazine,  but  now 
Editor  in  Chicago.  1850,  Franklin  D.  Owen,  Lawyer  in 
Milwaukie,  Wis. 

During  the  same  period,  many  have  been  educated  at 
other  institutions,  and  others  still  have  been  more  private 
ly  fitted  for  the  professions ;  but  as  a  list  of  such  must 
necessarily  be  imperfect,  we  will  not  attempt  to  give  one. 
Those  of  the  number  who  have  received  Degrees  at  Wil 
liams,  are,  Horatio  Jones,  M.  D.,  1810 ;  Timothy  Wood- 
bridge,  now  Rev.  Dr.  Woodbridge,  1812 ;  Charles  Sedg- 
wick,  1814 ;  Horatio  Byington,  now  Judge  of  Common 
Pleas,  1835 ;  David  D.  Field,  1838,  and  Theodore  S. 
Pomeroy  in  1820. 

The  first  Newspaper  printed  in  the  County  was  com 
menced  in  this  town  in  the  fall  of  1788.  It  was  then  call 
ed  the  "  Western  Star,"  and  was  a  weekly.  The  name 
was  afterwards  changed  to  Berkshire  Star,  under  which  ti 
tle  it  was  removed  to  Lenox  in  1828.  From  March,  1841, 
until  sometime  during  1843,  "The  Visitor"  was  printed 
here,  edited  by  J.  E.  Field,  Esq.  For  several  years  also, 
about  the  same  period,  a  Temperance  paper  was  printed 
here.  As  an  index  of  the  taste  and  principles  of  the  people 
in  the  matter  of  periodical  literature,  we  give  a  list  of  the 
Periodicals  taken  from  the  South  Post  Office  in  1852. — 
Besides  these,  however,  the  Congregational  parish  is  sup 
plied  with  the  American  Messenger,  and  the  Journal  of 
Missions,  and  to  some  extent  with  the  Day  Spring  and 
Child's  paper: 

Daily  Tribune,  10 ;  Semi- Weekly  Tribune,  1 ;  New 
York  Observer,  17  ;  Independent,  6 ;  Semi- Weekly  Spec- 


OR,   ERCORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.  235 

totor,  3  ;  Home  Journal,  4 ;  Daily  Herald,  3  ;  New  York 
Organ,  5  ;  Daily  Times,  3  ;  New  York  Sun,  3  ;  New  York 
Post,  4 ;  Christian  Advocate,  G  ;  Evening  Post,  3  ;  Chris 
tian  Inquirer,  3 ;  Penny  Dispatch,  3 ;  Sailor's  Magazine, 
9 ;  Home  Missionary,  10 ;  Missionary  Herald,  9 ;  Harp 
er's  Magazine,  2 ;  Blackwood's  Magazine,  1 ;  Spirit  of 
the  Times,  1 ;  Guide  to  Holiness,  2  ;  Theological  Journal, 
1;  Musical  Review,  1;  Boston  Culturist,  14;  New  Eng 
land  Farmer,  4 ;  Youth's  Companion,  G ;  Christian  Wit 
ness,  2 ;  Boston  Pilot,  3 ;  Medical  Journal,  1 ;  American 
Union,  4 ;  Springfield  Reporter,  4 ;  National  Era,  2  ;  Pos 
tal  Guide,  1 ;  Boston  Advertiser,  1 ;  Graham's  Magazine, 
1 ;  Massachusetts  Spy,  1  ;  Albany  Cultivator,  2 ;  Newark 
Sentinel,  1 ;  Pittsfield  Sun,  7  ;  Massachusetts  Eagle,  18 ; 
Grey  Lock  Sentinel,  4 ;  New  York  Churchman,  1 ;  Bar- 
rington  Courier,  6 ;  Christian  Union,  4 ;  Parlor  Maga 
zine,  4 ;  Jewish  Chronicle,  1  ;  Merry's  Museum,  3 ;  Phre 
nological  Journal,  4 ;  Watchman  and  Reflector,  1 ;  Spring 
field  Daily  Post,  4 ;  Northampton  Courier,  1  ;  Boston 
Weekly  Journal,  2 ;  National  Intelligencer,  1 ;  Boston 
Morning  Daily  Journal,  1 ;  Culturist  and  Gazette,  14 ; 
London  Quarterly  Review,  1 ;  Edinburgh  Review,  Qr.,  1  ; 
Westminster  Review,  Qr.,  1 ;  Blackwood's  Monthly  Mag 
azine,  1 ;  North  British  Quarterly,  1  ;  New  England  His 
torical  and  Geneological  Register,  2 ;  Knickerbocker,  2. 

A  public  Library  was  formed  about  1790,  which  con 
tinued  in  circulation  until  1822,  when  it  was  sold  at  auc 
tion,  and  purchased  generally  by  owners  of  shares.  In 
1826,  a  Juvenile  Library  was  formed,  which  still  exists, 
enlarged,  at  the  Academy.  A  Library  was  commenced 
in  Curtisville  in  1814.  Some  of  the  school  districts  in 
town  also,  have  common  school  libraries. 

About  1812,  books  for  children  being  very  rare,  the  lit 
tle  girls  of  the  village  school  formed  a  temporary  associa 
tion  which  might  be  called  a  Lending  Society.  Each  one 
agreed  on  the  one  hand  to  lend  her  little  library  to  mem 
bers  of  the  Society,  and  on  the  other  hand  to  use  with 
care,  and  return  with  promptness,  whatever  she  borrowed. 
To  carry  this  out,  only  one  book  was  in  the  hands  of  the 
borrower  at  a  time,  and  Saturday  was  chosen  for  the  day 
of  exchange.  Could  such  a  principle  of  faithfulness  in 
the  use  of  other's  talents  but  pervade  our  adult  commu- 


236  STOCKBRIDGE,  PAST  AND  PRESENT; 

nity,  how  much  might  "knowledge  be  increased,"  and  how 
many  perplexities,  vexations,  and  mortifications  might  be 
avoided. 

In  the  autumn  of  1827,  a  Philomathian  Association  was 
formed,  which  continued  until  1835.  The  members  de 
livered  lectures,  held  debates,  and,  by  their  annual  sub 
scriptions,  formed  a  library  of  the  larger,  and  more  ex 
pensive  periodicals  of  Great  Britain  and  America.  A 
Lyceum  was  also  sustained  for  a  short  period. 

During  the  winter  of  1838-9,  the  Lyceum  was  reform 
ed,  and  continued  until  the  winter  of  1843-4. 

In  1840,  a  Scientific  Association  was  formed,  which 
under  that,  and  the  name  of  "Society  for  the  Promotion 
of  Science  and  General  Literature,"  continued  until  1847. 
The  members  read  original  essays,  and  also  collected  a 
small,  but  valuable  library. 

We  may  safely  say  that  Stockbridge  has  produced  its 
fair  proportion  of  authors,  poets,  &c.  But  their  own 
works  are  their  most  appropriate  commendation ;  monu 
ments,  whose  durability  will  be  proportioned  to  their  value . 


SECTION    XL. 

PHYSICIANS. 

Dr.  Erastus  Sergeant,  son  of  the  missionary,  was  the 
first  physician  who  established  himself  in  Stockbridge. 
He  studied  with  Dr.  Thomas  Williams  of  Deerfield,  and 
commenced  practice  in  1768.  He  was  much  esteemed, 
and  fitted  more  than  twenty  young  men  for  the  profession. 
He  died  November  14,  1814,  at  the  age  of  72.  Among 
his  students  were,  Dr.  Stearnes  of  New  York,  Dr.  Root, 
Dr.  Whitney,  Dr.  Catlin,  Dr.  Hopkins,  Dr.  James,  Dr. 
Williams,  S.  W.  Williams,  Dr.  Stoddard,  Dr.  Carrington, 
&c. 

Dr,  Oliver  Partridge,  born  April  26,  1757,  studied 
medicine  in  Hatfield,  and  came  to  Stockbridge  when  quite 
young.  He  was  particularly  skillful  in  chronic  complaints, 
and  in  detecting  the. diseases  of  children.  He  lived  to 
the  advanced  age  of  97,  dying  July  23d,  1848. 


OR,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.  237 

Dr.  Tidmash  came  to  America  as  surgeon  in  the  em 
ployment  of  the  British,  and  settled  at  Richmond,  in  this 
county,  in  1778.  Mrs.  Edwards  of  Stockbridge,  not  long 
after,  broke  a  limb,  and  employed  him  as  her  physician ; 
and  his  surgical  skill  gave  such  satisfaction,  that  he  was 
led  to  settle  here.  He  built  the  house  lately  occupied  by 
Colonel  Goodrich ;  died  about  1790. 

Dr.  Horatio  Jones,  son  of  Captain  Josiah  Jones,  was 
born  December  30,  1769,  studied  medicine  in  Philadel 
phia,  was  settled  in  Stockbridge  previous  to  1800,  the  time 
of  his  marriage,  and  died  April  26,  1813.  We  take  the 
following  extracts  from  his  obituary : 

"As  a  man,  he  combined  in  himself  all  those  excellencies 
and  virtues,  which  constituted  him  just  what  the  excellent 
and  the  virtuous  wished  him  to  be.  As  a  scholar,  he  was 
eminent.  His  researches  were  deep,  thorough,  and  effectual. 
As  a  Physician,  it  is  no  more  than  justice  to  say,  he  had  but 
few  equals.  In  addition  to  his  extensive  medical  knowledge 
and  skill,  he  possessed,  more  than  any  other  man  we  have 
ever  known,  the  talent  of  rendering  himself  pleasing,  easy, 
and  agreeable  to  the  objects  of  his  professional  attention. 
There  was  something  in  his  manner,  which,  though  indescri 
bable,  could  almost  restore  the  sick  to  health,  and  would  in 
duce  a  smile  of  complacency  even  on  the  pale  cheek  of  the 
dying.  Without  any  regard  to  his  own  ease  or  quiet,  he  de 
voted  all  his  time  and  talents  to  the  service  of  the  public. 
He  possessed  the  entire  confidence  of  all,  and  he  was  justly 
entitled  to  it.  The  loss  of  the  community  in  the  death  of 
this  distinguished  man  is  irreparable." 

'•'As  a  friend,  companion,  husband  and  father,  he  was 
above  all  price,  and  certainly  above  our  poor  praise.  But  the 
most  distinguished  trait  in  his  character  remains  unmention- 
ed.  He  was  a  CHRISTIAN.  And  as  he  drew  nearer  and 
nearer  to  the  close  of  life,  his  joys  and  prospects  continued 
to  brighten ;  and  when  he  found  all  earthly  objects  fading 
from  his  view,  and  the  light  of  eternity  just  opening  upon 
him,  he  cried  '  Lord  Jesus,  receive  my  spirit, '  and  ;  fell 
asleep.' '' 

Dr.  Royal  Fowler  soon  took  the  place  of  Dr.  Jones. 
He  was  a  native  of  Pittsfield,  and  had  been  practicing  in 
Barrington.  He  was  a  peculiarly  careful  physician,  and 
much  confided  in  by  his  patients.  He  died  in  great  peace, 
September  20,  1849,  at  the  age  of  63.  Dr.  Perry  has 
been  mentioned.  At  present,  our  Physicians  are  Dr.  V. 
White,  a  native  of  Becket,  who  came  to  this  place  in 
11* 


238       STOCKBRIDGE,  PAST  AND  PEESENT  ; 

1837,  and  settled  in  Curtisville ;  Dr.  L.  S.  Adams,  a  na 
tive  of  New  Maryborough,  who  came  in  1838,  and  Dr. 
McAllister,  who  came  in  1851.  The  last  two  are  settled 
in  the  village.  Dr.  W.  Ferine  from  New  Jersey,  practis 
ed  two  years,  but  left  in  1851. 

— $ — 
SECTION    XLI. 


AFRICAN     POPULATION. 

As,  beyond  all  question,  the  dark  cloud  of  slavery  hung 
for  a  time  over  our  beautiful  valley,  there  is  reason  to 
suppose  that  Africans  were  held  in  bondage  by  our  early 
families,  though  we  have  no  knowledge  of  the  fact.  The 
first  historical  or  traditional  mention  of  the  race  in  Stock- 
bridge  is  in  1751,  when  the  family  of  President  Edwards 
settled  here.  In  his  family,  was  a  married  woman  by  the 
name  of  Rose,  who  is  said  to  have  been  stolen  from  Africa 
when  a  child,  as  she  was  getting  water  at  a  spring.  She 
had  not  received  her  freedom,  and  her  husband,  Joab,  was 
the  slave  of  a  Mr.  Hunt  of  Northampton,  but  it  is  the  tra 
ditional  account  of  the  matter,  that  in  his  zeal  to  remove 
Mr.  Edwards  from  Northampton,  Hunt  readily  released 
his  bondman  to  come  with  him. 

After  the  death  of  President  Edwards,  if  not  before, 
Joab  and  his  wife  settled  in  the  South  part  of  the  town, 
where  he  labored  as  a  blacksmith.  He  was  a  man  of  good 
sense  and  steady,  Christian  deportment.  After  the  birth 
and  death  of  several  infants,  Rose  came  to  Dr.  West  to 
request  admission  to  the  church,  thinking  that  God  had 
slain  her  children  in  anger,  because  of  her  neglect  of  this 
duty.  The  instructions  of  Dr.  West  upon  the  subject,  not 
only  led  her  to  see  her  unfitness  for  church  membership, 
but  the  real  alienation  of  her  heart  from  God,  and  were 
blessed  to  her  conversion.  She  united  with  the  church, 
and  ever  after  adorned  her  profession.  After  her  death, 
Dr.  West  published  an  account  of  her  Christian  life  and 
experience  in  the  "Theological  Magazine." 

At  the  close  of  the  -Revolutionary  War,  some   of  the 


OR,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.         239 

families  residing  here  had  slaves  in  their  possession.  Dr. 
Sergeant  had  two,  Joe  Walker  and  Tamar,  formerly  a 
slave  of  Mr.  Bull  of  Westfield,  and  sold  by  him  to  Dr. 
Sergeant  after  his  marriage.  Captain  Jones  had  one,  Sa 
rah,  wife  of  Prince  Wanton.  These  slaves  were  promis 
ed  their  liberty  at  the  end  of  two  years.  But  before  that 
period  had  expired,  the  Legislature  of  Massachusetts  pass 
ed  the  Act  which  abolished  slavery  in  the  Commonwealth. 
This  Act  was  sent  to  the  towns  to  receive  the  sanction  of 
the  people.  The  question  excited  much  interest  here.  It 
was  feared  there  might  be  opposition.  Dr.  West  was  in 
the  habit  of  opening  the  Town  Meetings  with  prayer,  and 
then  retiring.  But  when  the  question  of  slavery,  or  no 
slavery,  was  to  be  put  to  the  consciences  and  purses  of  his 
people,  he  waited  to  see  which  would  prevail.  Conscience 
triumphed;  those,  it  seems,  who  had  just  declared  "all 
men  of  right  free  and  equal,"  and  opened  their  purses  and 
offered  their  life  blood  to  maintain  the  heaven-born  truth, 
made  no  effort  to  vote  in  exceptions  on  the  ground  of  col 
or  ;  and  wrhen  Dr.  West  took  his  hat  and  left,  doubtless 
breathing  his  grateful  acknowledgements  to  the  Creator 
and  Father  of  all,  Judge  Sedgwick  audibly  repeated  the 
Scripture — "  Lord,  now  lettest  thou  thy  servant  depart  in 
peace,  for  mine  eyes  have  seen  thy  salvation." 

Soon  after  this,  a  woman  named  Elizabeth  Freeman 
fled  from  her  master,  Colonel  Ashley  of  Sheffield,  under 
circumstances  of  peculiar  interest.  Slavery  in  New  Eng 
land  was  of  the  mildest  character  possible  in  a  depraved 
world.  Masters  and  mistresses  labored  in  company  with 
their  slaves,  familiarity  was  indulged,  attachments  were 
formed,  and  slaves  were  seldom  sold  from  their  families,  or 
ill-treated,  farther  than  the  one  act  of  holding  them  in 
bondage.  Consequently  the  soul  stood  in  a  measure  erect, 
and  would  not  bear  the  foot  of  oppression.  Elizabeth  was 
born  in  Claverack,  N.  Y.,  and  was  purchased  from  Mr. 
Hogeboom  of  that  town,  by  Colonel  Ashley,  at  the  age  of 
six  months.  It  was  in  the  winter,  and  she  was  brought  on 
the  bottom  of  a  sleigh,  covered  with  straw,  to  Sheffield. 
A  sister  and  herself  remained  in  the  family  of  Colonel 
Ashley  until  after  the  adoption  of  the  Constitution ;  and 
though  her  husband  died  in  achieving  the  liberty  of  her 
master's  country,  no  measures  were  taken  to  extend  to  her 


240  STOCKBRIDGE,  PAST  AND  PRESENT  J 

the  same  blessing.  Under  these  circumstances,  "she  one 
day,"  says  Mr.  H.  Sedgwick  in  a  sketch  of  her  life,  "  saw 
a  blow  aimed  at  her  sister  with  the  heated  kitchen  shovel,'* 
a  fit  of  passion  having  led  to  this  unusual  barbarity. 
Betty  interposed  her  own  arm,  and  received  a  blow  which 
left  its  scar  for  life,  and  then  left  the  house,  refusing  to 
return  upon  any  conditions.  Colonel  Ashley  resorted  to  the 
law  to  recover  her ;  and  the  case  was  tried  at  Great  Bar- 
rington.  It  was  one  of  the  first  cases  tested  in  this  way, 
and  the  Massachusetts  Bill  of  Rights — "  that  all  men  are 
born  free  and  equal" — prevailed.  Betty  was  made  free, 
and  thus  a  hope  of  success  held  out  for  those  who,  like  her, 
were  held  in  bondage  contrary,  not  only  to  the  laws  of  Na 
ture  and  the  rules  of  the  Gospel,  but  to  the  accepted  and 
recorded  laws  of  the  State. 

Judge  Sedgwick  was  the  principal  agent  in  her  deliver 
ance,  and  Muni  Bett,  as  she  was  afterwards  called,  imme 
diately  testified  her  gratitude  by  devoting  herself  to  the 
service  of  his  family  in  every  way  in  her  power.  She  had 
one  child,  called  "  Little  Bett,"  and  a  family  of  grand 
children  and  great-grand-children,  whom  she  helped  to 
maintain.  Her  usual  employment  was  nursing,  in  which 
she  was  peculiarly  skilled.  Her  good  sense,  skill  and  en 
ergy,  made  her  useful,  and  enabled  her  to  become  intelli 
gent  ;  and  that  faithfulness  with  which  she  discharged  her 
duties  inducing  entire  confidence,  she  was  an  object  of  re 
spect  and  esteem.  Her  death  occurred  in  December,  1829, 
when  she  was  supposed  to  be  nearly  100  years  of  age. 

Another  individual  of  the  same  race,  who  has  been  pe 
culiarly  distinguished  in  Stockbridge,  is  Agrippa  Hull. — 
He  was  born  in  Northampton,  in  the  days  of  slavery,  but 
of  free  parents,  who  lived  near  Licking  Water  Bridge. — 
At  the  age  of  six,  he  was  brought  to  Stockbridge  by  Joab, 
and  lived  here  until  1777,  when  he  enlisted  as  a  soldier 
during  the  war.  His  mother  had  married  a  second  hus 
band,  and  he  was  living  with  his  parents  ;  and  not  liking 
his  step-father,  he  said  "  the  war  could  not  last  too  long 
for  him."  The  first  two  years,  which  seem  to  have  com 
menced  during  the  winter  of  1777,  he  was  servant  to  Col. 
Patterson ;  but  for  four  years  he  was  in  the  service  of 
Kosciusko,  the  Polish  General.  He  was  discharged  at 
West  Point,  having  been  engaged  six  years  and  two 


OR,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.         241 

months.  He  was  afterwards  in  the  service  of  Judge  Sedg- 
wick,  while  that  gentleman  was  a  member  of  Congress  in 
New  York. 

Not  long  after  the  case  of  Mum  Bett  had  been  decided. 
Jane  Darby,  the  slave  of  Mr.  Ingersoll  of  Lenox,  it  is 
said,  left  her  master  and  took  refuge  in  Stockbridge.  She 
and  Agrippa  soon  agreed  to  tread  life's  path  in  company  ; 
but  her  master  still  claimed  his  chattel,  and  endeavored  to 
sieze  her.  Agrippa  applied  to  Judge  Sedgwick  for  aid, 
and  obtained  her  discharge.  She  was  a  woman  of  excel 
lent  character,  and  made  a  profession  of  her  faith  in  Christ, 
Some  years  after  her  death,  Agrippa  married  Margaret 
Timbroke,  who  still  lives  respected  among  us.  In  1827, 
he  became  hopefully  pious,  and  united  with  the  church, 
evidently  enlisting  as  he  had  done  in  the  service  of  his 
country — for  better  or  for  worse,  as  long  as  life's  warfare 
lasted. 

The  character  of  Agrippa  could  scarcely  be  called  ec 
centric,  and  yet  it  was  unique.  He  was  witty,  and  his 
presence  at  weddings  seemed  almost  a  necessity.  There, 
as  he  wedged  himself  and  his  "  good  cheer  "  into  every 
crowded  corner,  his  impromptu  rhymes,  and  his  courteous 
jokes,  were  always  welcome.  He  had  no  cringing  servility, 
and  certainly  never  thought  meanly  of  himself,  or  had  op 
portunity  to  do  so,  yet  he  was  perfectly  free  from  all  airs 
and  show  of  consequence.  He  seemed  to  feel  himself 
every  whit  a  man,  while,  even  in  his  public  prayers,  he 
gave  thanks  for  the  kind  notice  of  his  "  white  neighbors  to 
a  poor  black  nigger."  His  language  was  so  simple,  and 
his  petitions  often  so  peculiarly  adapted  to  the  every  day 
needs  of  his  hearers,  or  of  those  perishing  around  him, 
that  a  smile  was  sometimes  provoked  from  the  thoughtless ; 
but  the  true  worshiper  could  not  fail  to  realize  his  depen 
dence  upon  Divine  Grace  for  every  right  action  or  emo 
tion,  as  well  as  for  every  breath.  Never,  until  the  secrets 
of  all  hearts  are  revealed,  can  the  school-boy,  whose  merry 
shouts  fell  upon  his  ear  as  he  led  the  social  circle  in  devo 
tion,  know  how  much  of  his  fairness  in  games,  or  his  safety 
from  the  wiles  of  those  older  than  himself,  was  in  answer 
to  the  fervent  prayer  of  this  humble  servant  of  God  then 
ascending  for  that,  so  often  forgotten,  blessing.  While  he 
lived  too,  the  church  always  had  one  at  least,  who  posses 
sed  "  a  spirit  of  grace  and  of  supplication." 


242         STOCKBRIDGE,  PAST  AND  PRESENT; 

In  speaking  of  distinctions  on  account  of  color,  though 
Agrippa  was  far  from  intruding  himself  uncalled,  he  would 
argue — "  It  is  not  the  cover  of  the  book,  but  what  the  book 
contains  is  the  question.  Many  a  good  book  has  dark 
covers."  "  Which  is  the  worst,  the  white  black  man,  or 
the  black  white  man  ?  to  be  black  outside,  or  to  be  black 
inside  ?  " 

Once,  when  servant  to  a  man  who  was  haughty  and 
overbearing,  both  Agrippa  and  his  master  attended  the 
same  church,  to  listen  to  a  discourse  from  a  distinguished 
mulatto  preacher.  On  coming  out  of  the  house,  the  gen 
tleman  said  to  Agrippa,  "  Well,  how  do  you  like  nigger 
preaching  ? "  "  Sir,"  he  promptly  retorted,  "  he  was  half 
black  and  half  white  ;  I  liked  my  half,  how  did  you  like 
yours  ?  " 

Thus  he  was  ever  ready  with  a  patient,  and  often  a  wit 
ty  answer ;  and  he  commended  efforts  for  the  good  of  his 
race  still  in  bondage,  by  saying,  "  they  will  do  good  by 
helping  them  to  keep  down  their  bad  feelings  until  deliv 
erance  comes."  He  felt  deeply  the  wrongs  of  his  nation, 
but  his  feelings  rose  on  the  wings  of  prayer,  rather  than 
burst  from  the  muzzle  of  the  musket.  Had  he  lived  to 
the  present  day,  he  was  not  the  man  to  have  taken  up 
arms  against  the  laws  of  his  country  which  he  had  fought  so 
long  to  redeem  ;  yet  in  principle  he  would  have  much  pre 
ferred  the  fugitive  statute  of  Moses, — "  Thou  shalt  not  de 
liver  unto  his  master  the  servant  which  is  escaped  from 
his  master  unto  thee ;  he  shall  dwell  with  thee,  even 
among  you  in  that  place  which  he  shall  choose,  where  it 
liketh  him  best."  Deut.  23:  15,16;  and,  though  unpre- 
suming  himself,  he  might  perhaps  suggest  for  others,  even 
that  of  "  Paul  the  aged," — "  Though  I  might  be  much 
bold  in  Christ  to  enjoin  thee,  yet  for  love's  sake  I  rather 
beseech  thee,  receive  him  that  is  mine  own  bowels ;  not 
now  as  a  servant,  but  above  a  servant,  a  brother  beloved, 
both  in  flesh  and  in  the  Lord.  Receive  him  as  myself." — 
Phil.  8  to  17th. 

Agrippa  was  born  March  7,  1759,  and  died,  after  a  long 
illness,  May  1,  1848,  aged  nearly  eighty-nine. 

Others  of  the  race  also,  have  "  deserved  well  of  their 
generation."  Enoch  Humphrey  was  a  man  of  much 
sound  sense  and  general  intelligence.  Jonah,  his  brother, 


OR,  RECORDS  OP  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.  243 

went  to  Liberia,  and  was  very  favorably  noticed  there,  but 
died  soon.  Mariann,  a  niece,  lias,  also,  joined  the  colony, 
and  has  made  herself  useful,  and  expressed  her  satisfaction 
with  its  advantages.  John  Mars,  also,  from  this  church, 
and  his  sister,  are  there.  But,  perhaps  from  want  of  the 
proper  information  and  encouragement,  our  colored  popu 
lation  have  manifested  little  interest  in  the  enterprise,  and 
instead  of  seeking  a  permanent  home,  seem,  like  the  red 
man  of  the  forests,  to  be  melting  away. 


SECTION    XLII. 

CRIME     AND     CASUALTIES. 

It  may  be  that  more  than  one  inhabitant  of  Stockbridge 
has  earned  a  capital  condemnation  from  the  government, 
but  only  one  has  ever  received  it ;  and  that  one  had  few 
associations  in  this  place.  He  lived  near  the  town  line, 
but  we  are  sorry  to  say,  in  Stockbridge. 

One  murder  has  been  committed  in  the  town.  Many 
years  since,  two  men,  supposed  to  have  been  the  same  who 
had  broken  from  the  jail  at  Albany,  were  traced  from  Inn 
to  Inn  in  this  direction.  One  of  them  paid  all  the  bills. 
They  had  an  axe-helve  with  them.  Sometime  afterward, 
a  man  was  found  dead  near  the  road  which  leads  through 
the  mountain  pass  to  West  Stockbridge  Village,  and  a 
bloody  axe-helve  near  him.  Still  later,  a  man  was  hung 
in  New  Haven,  who  confessed  that  he  had,  besides  the 
crime  for  which  he  was  about  to  suffer,  murdered  a  man 
on  Stockbridge  Mountain. 

Several  suicides  have  been  committed  or  attempted  in 
Stockbridge,  or  by  Stockbridge  people.  The  names  it  is 
not  necessary  to  give.  The  cases  are  these,  1st.  A  woman 
being  deranged,  starved  herself.  2d.  A  man  of  intempe 
rate  habits,  while  absent  from  town,  committed  this  crime. 
3d.  A  man  who  was  deranged  cut  his  throat ;  also  out  of 
town.  4th.  An  intemperate  man,  while  in  a  neighboring 
State,  cut  his  throat,  and  died  of  the  wound  after  being 
brought  home.  5th.  A  woman  was  brought  here  in  a 


244  STOCKBRIDGE,   PAST   AND    PRESENT; 

gloomy  state  of  mind  which  increased  to  derangement, 
and  she  drowned  herself  in  the  Housatonic.  6th.  A  man 
who  was  transiently  in  town  for  his  health,  and  deranged, 
took  laudanum  with  the  intent  to  destroy  life,  but  was  re 
stored.  7th.  A  deranged  man  hung  himself,  but  was 
released.  8th.  A  vagabond  who  had  been  in  town  four 
days,  deliberately  put  an  end  to  the  life  of  which  he  had 
become  weary.  9th.  A  deranged  woman  hung  herself. 
10th.  A  deranged  woman  drowned  herself  in  the  cistern. 
Few  of  these,  it  will  be  seen,  were  responsible  for  the  deed ; 
three  were  not  residents  of  Stockbridge,  and  the  same 
number  were  absent  from  town  at  the  time  of  the  act ;  two 
also  were  saved;  leaving  four  suicides  committed  by 
Stockbridge  people,  two  from  derangement,  and  two  from 
intemperance,  besides  one  suicidal  act,  which  did  not  re 
sult  in  death,  and  which  was  caused  by  derangement. 

Mr.  D.  Cadwell,  who  has  probably  kept  the  most  per 
fect  record  of  events  of  any  person  in  town,  gives  the 
deaths  by  lightning,  1,  a  man  near  Alger's  Furnace; 
deaths  by  freezing,  1,  a  foreigner  who  had  been  drunk  a 
week.  He  called  at  the  gate  near  West  Stockbridge  just 
at  night  in  the  month  of  March,  while  Mr.  C.  was 
keeper,  and  obtained  some  food.  The  next  morning  he 
was  found  dead  about  half  way  down  the  mountain.  Name 
McDaniels  or  McDonald.  Deaths  by  accident,  15 ; 
drowned,  14;  also  the  number  of  houses  and  barns  burned 
before  the  first  fire  at  Glendale,  1847,  13.  The  2d  fire  at 
Glendale  was  in  April,  1849.  In  September,  1851,  the 
shop  of  Mr.  Burt  was  burned ;  in  February,  1852,  the 
mill  at  Curtisville  ;  in  the  autumn  of  1852,  the  barn  of 
Mrs.  Cooper ;  and  that  of  Mr.  Turner  in  December.  In 
December,  1853,  the  woolen  factory  in  Curtisville  was 
burnt. 

Two  or  three  casualties  deserve  to  be  recorded  for  the 
remembrance  of  the  merciful  deliverance  which  attended 
each.  About  25  years  since,  a  father  in  the  village  was 
alarmed  by  the  exclamation  that  little  H.  was  in  the  well. 
The  skirt  of  his  dress  had  been  seen  as  it  passed  over  the 
curb.  The  well  was  very  deep,  and  very  difficult  of  as 
cent  ;  but  before  he  had  taken  time  to  consider  the  impos 
sibility  of  the  act,  the  father  stood  by  the  well  with  his 
child  in  his  arms.  Nor  could  he  then  tell  how  he  had 
been  enabled  to  deliver  him. 


OR,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.         245 

Not  long  afterward,  a  boy  in  Curtisville  walked  out  on 
the  timbers  which  extended  into  the  water  for  some  pur 
pose,  [the  dam]  we  are  told,  and  stood  for  a  few  moments 
looking  into  the  stream.  As  he  turned  to  go  back,  a  hand 
rose  from  the  water,  and  grasping  it,  he  drew  from  the 
stream  his  little  brother,  still  alive.  He  had  probably  fol 
lowed  his  elder  brother,  though  the  latter  was  unconscious 
of  his  presence. 

In  the  spring  of  1851,  a  citizen  of  Stockbridge  was 
buried  in  a  well  in  Lee,  about  9  or  10  in  the  morning,  and 
continued  until  7  in  the  evening,  when  he  was  taken  out 
without  serious  injury. 


SECTION    XLIII. 

MISCELLANEOUS. 

The  first  public  work  on  record  in  Stockbridge  of  any 
note,  was  the  building  of  the  bridge  over  the  Housatonic, 
South  of  the  village,  and  the  erection  of  the  causeway  to 
it — 1760.  1764,  the  road  was  laid  over  the  hill,  entering 
at  Cadwell's  meadow  gate,  and  passing  in  order  the  houses 
of  Josiah  Jones  Jr.,  Josiah  Jones  Sen.,  the  Sergeant  heirs, 
Major  Elijah  Williams,  Dr.  West,  Deacon  Wilson,  Major 
James  Gray,  John  Taylor,  Samuel  Messenger,  and  Ezra 
Whittlesey.  Major  Gray  lived  in  what  is  now  Major 
Dewey's  farm  house.  1773,  the  house  formerly  occupied 
by  J.  Jones  Sen.,  was  procured  for  a  Work  House,  and  J. 
Jones  Jr.  was  chosen  overseer  of  its  inmates.  1797,  fire- 
hooks  were  provided.  1798,  a  gun-house  was  built.  This 
has  long  been  used  for  a  private  dwelling,  and  at  times  for 
a  Confessional.  1800,  turnpike  to  Great  Barrington. 
Small  Pox  admitted  in  1785,  1791,  and  1803,  by  vote  of 
the  town.  (First  vaccination  in  1802.)  The  first  Post 
Office  in  the  county  was  established  here  in  1792.  The 
first  stage  run  through  here  was,  we  are  informed,  run  by 
Mr.  J.  Hicks,  about  1812.  The  first  store  in  the  county 
was  established  by  T.  Edwards  Esq.,  in  the  house  now 
owned  by  Major  Owen  in  1772.  The  three  East  elms  in 


246  STOCKBRIDGE,   PAST  AND  PRESENT  ; 

front  of  the  house  were  transplanted  from  the  grove  of 
young  elms  on  the  line  between  this  town  and  Lee,  by  the 
late  Colonel  William  Edwards,  in  1786.  The  next  year, 
some  one  else  set  out  the  fourth.  The  maples  through 
the  street  were  set  out  near  that  time,  and  perhaps  the 
same  year,  at  the  suggestion  of  General  Silas  Pepoon. 

The  Housatonic  Bank  was  incorporated  in  1825,  with  a 
capital  of  $100,000.  Cyrus  Williams  of  Stockbridge  was 
the  President  from  October  31,  1825,  to  November  5, 
1838  ;  Edward  Burrall  of  Stockbridge  from  thence  to  Oc 
tober  12,  1843 ;  William  P.  Walker  of  Lenox  from  the 
last  date  until  October  1,  1829,  since  which,  Charles  M. 
Owen  has  filled  the  office.  The  first  Cashier  was  Edward 
Burrall ;  May  1,  1836,  Benoni  C.  Wells  succeeded,  who 
was  followed,  October  1,  1836,  by  Junius  D.  Adams  from 
New  Marlborough,  now  in  Pittsfield. 

The  Grave  Yard  in  Curtisville  was  opened  for  burial 
in  1834.  In  1838  the  question  of  a  Town  Hall  came  up. 
The  vote  to  build  with  the  Surplus  Revenue,  passed  in 
December ;  January  14,  1839,  the  location  was  decided 
upon,  and  a  committee  chosen  to  make  a  contract  for  build 
ing,  the  cost  not  to  exceed  $1880. 

In  1846,  it  was  voted  to  enlarge  the  South  Grave  Yard, 
and  to  pay  $1000  for  the  ground,  provided  the  buildings 
upon  it,  and  whatever  was  not  wanted,  could  be  sold  for 
$500.  Provision  was  also  made  to  extend  the  yard  a  few 
feet  south  and  west,  and  to  set  shade  trees  on  the  borders. 
$75,  besides  what  could  be  raised  |rom  the  sale  of  the 
Powder  House,  (which  had  stood  in  the  N.  E.  corner) 
and  of  the  grass,  was  to  be  spent  in  opening  carriage 
roads,  and  in  ornamental  works.  An  effort  had  been  made 
some  twelve  years  previous,  to  ornament  the  yard,  and  the 
shrubbery  along  the  south  side  was  then  set ;  and  a  short 
time  previous  to  the  extension  of  the  limits,  another  sum 
was  raised  for  the  same  purpose ;  both  efforts  being  made 
by  the  Ladies.  The  yard  is  now  in  the  care  of  a  Com 
mittee,  and  no  person  can  inclose  a  lot,  or  bury  a  friend 
from  abroad,  without  leave  from  that  body. 

The  Rail  Road  through  Stockbridge  was  commenced  in 
1849,  and  opened  in  November  of  that  year. 

The  Telegraph  wa£  run  through  this  place  in  1848.- — 
The  people  of  Stockbridge  declined  to  establish  an  office 


OR,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.         247 

here ;  and  wisely,  it  would  seem,  as  the  business  on  the 
route  did  not  sustain  the  expense,  and  it  was  dropped  in 
1850. 

When  the  permanent  location  of  the  County  buildings 
was  still  an  open  question,  an  effort  was  made  in  1784  to 
have  the  Supreme  Courts  held  in  Stockbridge  ;  but  it  fail 
ed.  The  town  has,  however,  furnished  a  good  proportion 
of  the  public  men,  which  is  more  to  her  credit  than  a  cen 
tral  location  could  be.  Theodore  Sedgwick  was  Judge  of 
the  Supreme  Judicial  Court  from  1802  until  his  death  in 
1813. 

Ephraim  Williams  and  Timothy  Woodbridge,  it  is  said, 
were  Judges  of  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas  for  Hamp 
shire  County  previous  to  1761,  and  Timothy  Woodbridge 
for  Berkshire,  until  1774.  Jahleel  Woodbridge  from  1781 
to  1795  ;  John  Bacon  from  17 89  to  1811.  Judge  J.  Wood- 
bridge  is  supposed  to  have  presided  from  1787  until  1795  ; 
and  Judge  Bacon  from  1807  until  1811,  when  the  Court 
was  abolished,  presided  by  especial  appointment.  Judge 
Bacon  was  also  Chief  Justice  in  1809. 

Clerks  of  the  Court  from  Stockbridge.  Henry  F. 
Dwight  for  1781  to  1803  ;  Joseph  Woodbridge,  from  1803 
to  1821 ;  and  Charles  Sedgwick,  who  removed  to  Lenox 
on  that  account,  from  1821  to  the  present  time. 

County  Attorneys  from  Stockbridge.  Theodore  Sedg 
wick,  previous  to  1802,  but  for  how  long  a  time  we  do  not 
find.  John  Hunt,  from  1811  to  1814. 

County  Treasurers.  Henry  W.  Dwight  from  Septem 
ber  14,  1784;  Moses  Ashley  from  February  5,  1788,  and 
Barnabas  Bidwell  from  September  1701  to  August  1810, 
each  taking  the  place  of  the  preceding. 

Judges  of  Probate.  Timothy  Edwards  from  1778  to 
1787,  and  Jahleel  Woodbridge  from  that  time  until  1795. 

Registers  of  Probate.  Edward  Edwards  from  1785  to 
1795  ;  and  George  Whitney  from  December  1823  to  1825. 

The  State  Senators  elected  from  Stockbridge  by  the 
County,  have  been  Jahleel  Woodbridge,  1780  and  1784, 
including  the  intervening  years.  John  Bacon  in  1781  and 
1782,  1794,  5,  6,  8,  and  1805  and  6.  Theodore  Sedgwick 
in  1784  and  5 ;  and  Barnabas  Bidwell  in  1801  and  2. — 
Gen.  William  Williams  1840-1,  and  Col.  J.  Z.  Goodrich  in 
1848, 


248  STOCKBRIDGE,   PAST   AND   PRESENT; 

Members  of  the  Governor's  Council.  Timothy  Wood- 
bridge  is  said  to  have  declined  an  appointment  from  the 
King  prior  to  the  Revolution.  Timothy  Edwards  held  the 
office  from  1775  to  1780.  Major  C.  M.  Owen  in  1850. — 
He  was  on  the  Council  Committee  to  whom  the  petition  to 
pardon  Professor  Webster  was  referred. 

Representatives  to  Congress  chosen  by  the  Legislature. 
Timothy  Edwards,  in  1779,  declined  the  appointment,  and 
Theodore  Sedgwick  served  in  that  capacity  in  1785  and  6. 

Members  of  Congress  chosen  by  the  people.  Theodore 
Sedgwick,  from  1789  to  1797,  and  from  1799  to  1801  ; 
John  Bacon,  from  1801  to  1803 ;  Barnabas  Bidwell,  from 
1803  to  1806 ;  Henry  W.  Dwight  from  1821  to  1829.— 
In  1851,  Col.  J.  Z.  Goodrich  was  elected. 


SECTION    XLIV. 

VEGETABLE    PRODUCTIONS,    NATIVE    AND    FOREIGN. 

THE  farms  in  Stockbridge  are  often  spoken  of  as  re 
markably  good,  and  easy  of  culture.  Formerly,  fine  crops 
of  wheat  were  raised  ;  but  for  several  years  past,  farmers 
have  turned  their  attention  to  other  crops,  and  depended 
upon  the  more  westerly  States  for  their  flour.  The  timber 
is  also  valuable,  and  of  wild  fruits  we  have  the  varieties  of 
nuts,  red  plums,  raspberries,  whortleberries,  blackberries, 
strawberries,  &c.  Occasionally  the  "  white  blackberry  " 
has  been  found.  The  black  currant  and  goose-berry  are 
common,  and  the  white  currants  which  are  now  cultivated, 
sprung  from  a  bush  found  by  Captain  Jones  growing  wild 
upon  his  farm.  The  pigeon  grape,  generally  called  the 
frost  grape  is  abundant,  and  the  true  frost  grape  has  been 
found.  In  cultivated  fruit,  Stockbridge  is  often  said  by 
strangers  to  excel. 

The  "  Stockbridge  Damask  Rose,"  as  many  strangers 
have  been  pleased  to  denominate  it,  has  few  equals.  Until 
near  the  close  of  the  last  century,  it  was  known  only  in 
the  gardens  of  Dr.  West  and  the  Joneses,  from  which  we 
infer  that  its  was  brought  from  Weston.  The  red  rose 


OR,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.  249 

grows,  spontaneously  to  appearance,  where  was  once  the 
garden  of  Mr.  Jones,  sen.,  and  was  probably  an  early  set 
tler.  The  cinnamon  rose  is  believed  to  have  been  brought 
from  Farmington,  Conn.,  by  Miss  Mercy  Scott.  The 
white  rose  was  brought  from  Ellington,  Conn.  At  the 
present  day,  the  rapidity  of  transportation  is  leading  to  a 
great  increase  in  the  varieties  of  roses  and  other  shrubs. 

An  Agricultural  Society  was  formed  here  in  1824,  and 
extended  to  other  towns  in  1826,  in  which  form  it  existed 
for  some  years.  The  Society  formed  at  Barrington  in 
1840,  now  occupies  the  sphere  which  this  filled.  At  one 
of  the  early  exhibitions,  a  juvenile  Floral  Procession  ad 
ded  much  to  the  interest. 

A  "  Shrubbery  Society "  was  formed  about  the  same 
time ;  but  the  ill-success  of  the  first  purchase  caused  its 
dissolution. 

The  Horticultural  Society  for  the  County  was  formed 
in  Lenox,  June  5,  1847.  The  Fair  held  in  the  autumn  of 
1851  was  very  gratifying,  and  that  in  1852  not  less  so. 
Much  of  the  delicious  fruit  upon  the  loaded  tables  was 
from  Stockbridge.  At  the  Fair  here  in  1850,  a  vote  was 
passed,  to  depend  more  in  future  upon  the  ladies  for  the 
interest  of  the  occasion.  This  referred  to  the  decorations 
of  the  room.  Yet  it  has  never  been  our  lot  to  entertain 
the  Society  until  the  frosts  of  autumn  had  swept  over  our 
gardens,  leaving  death  and  desolation  behind  them.  We 
hope  that  our  turn  may  come  ere  long  to  be  on  the  sunny 
side  of  their  appointments.  "The  North  Stockbridge 
Club,"  has  been  in  operation  about  three  years. 


SECTI  ON    XL  V. 

GEOGRAPHY. 

No  one,  in  passing  through  Stockbridge,  would  be 
reminded  of  the  Alhambra,  or  of  "  The  City  of  Palaces ; " 
but  "  Eden ! "  has,  under  such  circumstances,  dropped  from 
the  lips,  and  comparisons  are  sometimes  drawn  which 
exempt  Stockbridge  people  from  the  charge  of  exaggera- 


250  STOCKBRIDGE,  PAST  AND  PRESENT  J 

tion  when  they  grow  warm  in  the  praise  of  home.  Th<3 
view,  as  one  enters  from  the  west,  or  the  south,  is  very 
beautiful.  Monument  Mountain  is  an  admirable  point  of 
observation ;  and  from  a  little  elevation  in  the  south  part 
of  the  town,  called  Rose  Hill,  a  zone  of  beauty  encircles 
the  observer,  not  often  surpassed.  The  drives  about  the 
town  all  possess  circumstances  of  interest  peculiarly  their 
own.  Curtisville,  East  Street,  and  Glen  Dale,  have  each 
points  of  observation  worth  visiting ;  particularly  the  last, 
where  a  cone-shaped  hill  seems  piled  up  on  purpose  to 
afford  an  extensive  prospect.  But,  it  is  generally  agreed, 
that  the  view  from  "the  Hill,"  which  rises  north  of  the 
village,  is  the  most  perfect.  This  elevation  possesses  the 
most  extensive  table  land  of  any  in  the  vicinity.  The 
road  passes  for  a  long  distance  upon  its  brow,  and  the 
view  is  not  only  beautiful  and  extended,  but  constantly 
changing.  The  best  view  of  the  village  is  obtained  as 
soon  as  the  summit  is  gained ;  but  from  a  point  near  the 
house  of  Mr.  Hull,  not  only  a  part  of  "  the  Village,"  pre 
eminently,  but  Curtisville,  Larawaugh,  Glen  Dale,  and 
Goodrich  Street,  may  be  distinctly  seen.  Yet  no  one  has 
seen  all  of  Stockbridge,  until  he  has  taken  the  bird's-eye 
view  to  be  obtained  from  the  top  of  the  house  formerly 
owned  by  Dr.  West.  An  old  African  \voman,  who  used 
occasionally  to  work  at  Dr.  West's,  would  go,  when  her 
work  was  done,  and  sit  upon  the  stairs  leading  from  the 
upper  garret  to  the  roof,  "  because  it  was  so  near  to 
heaven."  But  if  near  to  heaven  is  synonymous  with 
away  from  earth,  it  is  one  of  the  last  places  which  we 
should  think  of  selecting  for  such  a  reason ;  for  one  seems 
there  in  the  very  center  of  created  beauty.  It  is  not  self- 
praise  for  us  to  talk  thus  of  our  own  valley.  It  came 
from  the  hand  of  its  Creator,  fashioned  for  a  canvas ;  and 
since  the  hand  of  art  has  been  employed  in  painting  its 
surface,  His  skill  has  guided  every  woodman  and  every 
builder,  that  all  should  be  arranged  in  symmetry,  where 
symmetry  was  to  be  desired,  and  beautiful  disorder,  where 
confusion  would  add  a  charm.  It  is  not  our  palaces,  our 
parks,  our  temples,  or  our  artistic  lakes  and  glens ;  we 
have  none  of  these ;  but  it  is  that  He,  who  is  "  excellent  in 
counsel  and  wonderful  in  working,"  has  vouchsafed  to 
paint  a  picture  here  which  is  ever  redolent  of  praise. 


OR,  RECORDS  OP  AN  OLD    MISSION  STATION.  251 

And  may  it  be,  that  not  from  earth  alone  shall  rise  that 
savor,  which  mind — elevated,  sanctified  mind, — should 
ever  give. 

The  Housatonic  River  winds  among  the  meadows  as  its 
name  denotes.  Its  earlier  name,  as  Mr.  De  Forest  gives 
it  from  the  Stratford  records,  was  Paugussett.  It  enters 
the  town  from  Lee,  and  passes  around  the  western  end 
of  Monument  Mountain  into  Barrington.  It  rises  in 
Windsor  on  the  east,  and  Lanesborough  Pond  on  the 
north ;  these  two  streams  unite  at  Pittsfield.  In  Stock- 
bridge  it  is  five  or  six  rods  wide,  and  averages  between  two 
and  three  feet  deep.  Its  curves  are  often  beautiful,  par 
ticularly  one  called  the  "  Ox  Bow." 

Seepoosah,  or  Sepoese,  as  it  should  probably  be  spelled, 
meaning  a  little  rivulet,  rises  in  Tyringham  and  Great 
Barrington,  and  empties  into  the  Housatonic.  It  has  been 
known  as  Konk's  Brook. 

Another  brook  flows  from  a  pond  in  the  north  part  of  the 
town,  but  is  not  known  by  any  particular  name.  The  pond 
from  which  it  flows  is  one  mile  long  and  half  a  mile  in 
breadth.  It  has  been  called  by  several  names ;  the  most 
beautiful,  we  think,  is  "  Mountain  Mirror."  It  is  appropri 
ate,  too.  The  name,  as  obtained  by  Esquire  F.  from  an  In 
dian  who  visited  Stockbriclge  some  years  ago,  was  "  Mah- 
kee-nac — Great  Water."  But  we  have  the  testimony  of 
Mr.  Slingerland  that  Mah-kee-nac  is  only  an  adjective, 
meaning  great ;  and  by  referring  to  the  Section  upon  Lan 
guage,  the  reader  will  see  that  the  word  water  cannot,  as 
Mr.  Slingerland  remarks,  be  added ;  for  the  adjective  must 
be  turned  into  a  neuter  verb. 

Mohawk  Pond  is  a  smaller  sheet  of  water  which  lies  in 
an  opening  in  the  Stockbridge  Mountain  to  the  south. 

Stockbridge  seems  cradled  in  mountains.  On  the  south 
are  the  bold  peaks,  and  the  more  western  part  of  Monu 
ment  Mountain,  so  named  by  the  English  from  the  cone 
shaped  pile  of  stones  upon  its  southern  slope,  but  by  the 
Indians  called  Maus-wos-see  khi,  or  Fisher's  Nest.  On 
the  west  is  Stockbridge  Mountain,  and  on  the  north,  the 
Rattle  Snake  of  the  English,  called  by  the  Indians  Deow- 
kook,  or  Hill  of  the  Wolves.  This  mountain  is  two  miles 
in  length,  and  is  entirely  within  the  limits  of  the  town, 
though  quite  on  its  northern  border.  It  contains  a  cave 


252        STOCKBRIDGE,  PAST  AND  PRESENT  J 

of  some  interest,  although  much  of  its  surface  is  easily  til 
led.  In  the  south-east,  Bear-town  Mountain  extends  a  con 
siderable  distance ;  but  to  the  east  the  land  stretches  off 
for  several  miles,  as  if  to  let  in  the  morning  ;  and  between 
Bear-town  and  a  low  range  beyond,  another  valley  opens 
to  the  east.  The  ground  is  undulating,  and  the  villages  of 
Lee,  lying  in  the  lower  parts  of  that  first  named,  are  over 
looked,  so  that  the  eye  rests  upon  the  high  mountain  range 
in  the  eastern  part  of  the  County,  whose  patches  of  wood 
and  of  cultivation  form  an  agreeable  alternation.  Within 
this  cradle,  the  village  occupies  a  position  southeast  from 
central.  West  of  this  is  Glen  Dale ;  East  street  runs  to 
the  north,  and  is  in  the  north-east  part  of  the  town  ;  and 
Curtisville  lies  in  the  north-west  part,  between  Stockbridge 
Mountain  and  the  Mountain  Mirror.  This  and  .Glen 
Dale  are  manufacturing  villages.  Stockbridge  Iron 
Works,  at  the  west  end  of  Monument,  has  also  a  surround 
ing  population. 

Within  the  town  are  various  hills  which  possess  more 
or  less  of  beauty.  Among  these  is  the  one  South  of  the 
Academy,  upon  which  Arnold  was  burned  in  effigy,  called 
Laurel  Hill,  which  in  the  Indian  tongue  would  be  Aum- 
hoo-ne-moo-seek  Woo-chook.  It  stands  almost  in  the 
heart  of  the  village,  and  in  the  season  of  bloom  is  a  most 
beautiful  object.  Esquire  Fields'  description  is  most 
graphic : — 

"  Or  wanders  'mid  yon  laurel  bowers, 

Whose  blushing  beauty  clothes  the  hill, 
As  though  a  very  snow  of  flowers 

Had  fallen  from  heaven,  and  lay  there  still.5' 

Ice  Glen  is  a  cleft  in  the  rocks  which  form  the  summit 
of  what  is  called  Little  Mountain,  a  spur  from  the  West 
ern  end  of  Bear-town.  It  was  perhaps  never  entered 
until  within  the  present  century,  and  was  first  passed 
through  by  torch-light,  we  suppose,  during  the  summer  of 
1841.  That  season  Mr.  Parker  took  his  scholars  through ; 
but  as  their  lights  went  out,  it  was  rather  a  dangerous, 
than  a  pleasant  ramble.  Since  that  time  however,  the  feat 
has  become  quite  a  common  diversion.  During  the  sum 
mer  of  1850,  the  lamented  Miss  Mary  M.  Chase  was  one 
of  a  party  who  performed  it ;  and  having  her  kind  permis 
sion  to  transfer  to  our  pages  her  sketch  of  the  scene,  pub- 


OR,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.        253 

lished  soon  after  in  Holden's  Magazine,  and  pronounced 
by  her  companions  to  be  strictly  truthful,  (however  the 
:reality  might  baffle  the  descriptive  powers  of  others,)  we 
'give  it  entire,  and  make  no  attempt  of  our  own,  except  to 
say,  that  the  rift  is  about  one-fourth  of  a  mile  in  length. 


ICE    GLEN. 

•**  Away  to  the  Ice  Glen!  the  dews  are  fast  falling, 
From  the  dim,  misty  tree-tops  the  night-birds  are  calling, 
From  the  measureless  heavens  the  starlight  is  gleaming, 
Look  on  through  the  trees  where  the  torches  are  beaming  j 
The  shadows  are  beckoning,  we  must  not  delay, — 
Don  the  shoon,  seize  the  staff,  to  the  Ice  Glen  away ! 

•"  Well  met,  free  companions  !  a  bold  band  are  we? 

Let  the  faggots  be  kindled,  each  other  to  see  ! 

Ho  !  ho  !  what  a  picture  I  the  turban  and  shawl, 

The  bandit's  red  sash,  hat  painted  and  tall, 

The  gay  scarlet  cap,  the  roses,  and  plume, 

-How  strangely  they  mingle,  and  shine  through  the  gloom ! 

"  Va  !  aliens  !  move  on !  prenez  garde  !  now  we  go  ! 

The  motley  procession  sets  out  with  the  glow 

Of  the  torches,  wide  pouring  along  the  rough  track, 

And  kindling  wild  gleams  on  the  rocks  huge  and  black  ; 

The  slumbering  echoes  are  wakened  again, 

As  laughter  and  shouts  ring  afar  through  the  Glen, 

li  On  !  On  !  o'er  our  heads  the  fearless  trunks  tower, 
Watching  grimly  the  tumult  that  startles  the  hour. 
Around  lie  the  Titan  rocks,  gloomy  and  yast, 
Fettered  firm  to  the  earth  where  in  wrath  they  were  cast. 
Stoop  !  clamber  !  light  foot,  strong  hand,  here  we  need, 
Eagle  eye,  steady  nerve,  all  these  dangers  to  heed. 

"  Beware  how  you  pass  by  yon  terrible  steep, 

Or  in  its  dark  bosom  forever  you'll  sleep  ! 

Hold  !  back !  here's  a  charm  that  cannot  be  crossed  ! 

Now  a  leap  !  not  a  slip  !  or  your  foothold  is  lost ! 

Look  before  you,  far  down,  what  a  perilous  way  ! 

Yet  there  does  our  path  lie,  we  cannot  delay. 

"  Ho  !  trusty  companions  !  come  tell  us  what  cheer, — 
Our  torches  are  dying,  we  must  not  pause  here, — 
Give  us  light,  give  us  aid !  here's  a  horrible  rift, 
And  the  strong  must  the  weak  o'er  its  fearfulness  lift ! 
12 


254  STOCKBRIDGE,  PAST  AND  PRESENT  ; 

List  how  the  scared  echoes  reply  to  our  call, 
TiJl  the  very  rocks  vibrate,  and  theaten  to  fall  ! 

"  Lo  !  our  way  is  closed  up  with  a  barrier  high, 

That  seems,  in  the  darkness,  to  blend  with  the  sky, 

What !  creep  we  beneath  it  ?     That  crevice  may  be 

The  path  to  some  horror  we  shrink  but  to  see  ! 

No  turning !  on  !  on  !   by  the  torches'  red  flame, 

Through  the  cavern's  dark  mouth  we  must  clamber  the  same. 

"  Again  we  may  breathe,  then  onward  we  go 

In  our  perilous  path,  but  our  progress  is  slow. 

Awhile  we  may  pause,  and  gaze  down  through  the  Glen; 

Where  the  flaring  lights  gleam  o'er  the  people,  and  then 

Once  more  to  the  journey.     At  last  we  emerge 

From  the  beautiful  horror — we  stand  on  the  verge 

li  Of  the  Glen's  farthest  entrance;  before  us  the  night 
Lies  quiet  and  holy — how  changed  is  the  sight, 
And  the  spirit  how  changed  ;  no  longer  the  toil 
Gives  zest  to  the  journey  ; — the  coveted  spoil 
Of  mosses  and  fern-leaves  that  gloriously  shone 
In  the  torchlight,  seem  faded — that  radiance  gone. 

"  How  like  to  life's  pathway,  the  Glen  of  the  Soul ; 
With  footsteps  untried  yet,  we  start  for  the  goal, 
By  perilous  chasms  our  pathway  must  lead; 
We  make  bright  our  torches,  we  journey  with  speed  ; 
Happy  we,  if  we  break  not  on  treacherous  rock, 
And  our  light  goes  not  out  with  the  dangerous  shock. 

''  We  gather  gay  trophies  that  win  us  to  stay, 
Though  a  mandate  still  urges,  that  we  must  obey; 
A  strong  hand  upholds  us,  when  else  we  would  fall, 
With  jesting  and  laughter  we  travel  through  all : 
At  last  the  wild  passage  is  ended,  and  then 
In  silence  we  stand  at  the  mouth  of  the  Glen. 

"  Behind  us  our  comrades  in  companies  throng — 
We  hear,  though  but  faintly,  their  murmurs  and  song; 
Above  us  the  pale  stars  of  heaven  we  see ; 
From  our  hands  drop  the  treasures  we  gathered  in  glee; 
And  on  through  the  darkness,  mysterious,  forlorn, — 
We  travel  alone  to  Eternity's  dawn." 


Jun<3  1st,  1850,  Stockbriclge  contained  1940  inhabitants, 
363  families,  334  dwellings,  102  farms,  and  7  manufacto 
ries. 


OR,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.  255 


SECTION   XLVI. 
BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES. 

LITERARY,  CIVIL,  MILITARY,  INGENIOUS,  Ac.,  &c. 
BRIG.    GEN.   JOSEPH   DWIGHT. 

GENERAL  DWIGHT  was  born  in  Dedham,  in  1703,  and 
admitted  to  the  bar  as  an  inhabitant  of  Brookfield  in  1733. 
But  he  soon  engaged  in  a  military  career,  in  which  he 
gathered  brilliant  laurels.  Particularly,  he ,  was  distin 
guished  as  commander  of  the  Massachusetts  Artillery  at 
the  capture  of  Louisburg  in  1745,  when  he  carried  the 
ordnance  and  military  stores  across  the  extensive  and 
miry  morass  west  of  the  town ;  and  also  in  the  subsequent 
attack  upon  the  walls. 

About  the  year  1750  or  '51,  he  married  Mrs.  John  Ser 
geant  of  Stockbridge,  and  settled  here  as  Trustee  of  the 
Indian  Schools,  bringing  with  him  Lawrence  Lynch,  a 
young  man  from  Ireland  who  had  been  with  him  at  Cape 
Breton.  He  resided  in  the  dwelling  erected  by  Mr.  Ser 
geant  on  the  Hill.  In  1756,  he  was  sent  at  the  head  of  a 
brigade  to  Lake  Champlain,  and  soon  after  his  return, 
purchased  a  place  in  Great  Barrington,  and  removed  his 
family  thither.  When  Berkshire  County  was  formed,  in 
1761,  he  was  chosen  Judge  of  both  Courts,  and  held  those 
offices  until  his  death,  which  occurred  at  Barrington,  June 
9,  1765,  at  the  age  of  62.  He  had,  previous  to  becoming 
a  citizen  of  Stockbridge,  viz.  in  1739,  been  appointed 
Judge  of  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas  in  Worcester 
County.  Judge  Dwight  was  a  graduate  of  Harvard 
in  1722. 


COL.    THOMAS    WILLIAMS 


The  eldest  son  of  Dr.  Thomas  Williams  of  Deerfield, 
own  brother  of  the  founder  of  Williams  College,  was 
born  May  5,  1746.  He  studied  law  with  Colonel  Hop 
kins  of  Great  Barrington,  and  commenced  practice  in 
Stockbridge  with  a  fair  prospect  of  success.  But  at  the 


256  STOCKBRIDGE,   PAST  AND    PRESENT; 

opening  of  the  Revolutionary  War,  he  marched  to  Cam 
bridge  at  the  head  of  a  party  of  minute  men,  and  was  one 
who  volunteered  to  follow  Arnold  up  the  Kennebec,  being 
of  the  division  under  Colonel  Enos.  But  on  reaching  the 
mouth  of  Dead  River,  that  division  was  compelled  to 
return  because  of  the  absolute  impossibility  of  obtaining 
provisions.  The  next  year,  1776,  being  made  Lieutenant 
Colonel,  he  was  ordered  to  Canada  by  another  route,  and 
died  on  his  way,  at  Skenesborough,  now  Whitehall,  July 
10,  at  the  age  of  30. 

The  residence  of  Colonel  Williams  in  Stockbridge  was 
the  house  erected  by  Colonel  Elijah  Williams  on  the  Hill, 
and  his  law  office  was  a  wing  of  the  same  building.  The 
building  stood  a  few  rods  east  of  the  old  Fort — the  house 
built  by  Colonel  Ephraim  Williams.  Very  few  traces  of 
it  now  remain.  His  wife  was  Miss  Thankful  Ashley,  and 
his  children,  Ephraim  Williams,  now  living  in  Lee, 
Colonel  Thomas  Williams,  who  died  at  the  South,  and 
Esquire  William  Williams  of  New  Hartford. 

The  widow  of  Colonel  Williams  married  Brigadier 
General  Ashley  in  1781.  He  had  been  here  as  a  delegate 
from  Washington  to  the  County  Congress  in  July,  1774, 
and  had  afterwards  engaged  in  the  war.  At  what  time  he 
became  an  inhabitant  of  Stockbridge  is  not  known ;  but 
he  was  married  here,  took  up  his  residence,  when  at  home, 
in  the  house  of  his  wife,  and  appears  to  have  remained 
generally  in  the  army,  as  an  officer,  until  the  close  of  the 
war.  He  was  drowned  at  South  Lee. 

EPHRAIM    WILLIAMS,    ESQ. 

Esquire  Williams  would  scarcely  be  recognized  by  his 
real  name  in  .Stockbridge,  having  taken  to  himself  the 
more  familiar  name  of  "  Uncle  Bob,"  by  which  he  is  uni 
versally  called  to  the  present  day.  He  was  the  oldest  son 
of  the  second  wife  of  Dr.  T.  Williams  of  Deerfield,  and 
in  that  way  grandson  of  Rev.  W.  Williams  of  Weston, 
pastor  of  that  church  at  the  time  Colonel  Williams  and 
Mr.  Jones  removed  to  Stockbridge,  though  through  his 
father,  he  was  cousin  to  him. 

Ephraim  Williams  was  born  November  19th,  1760,  and 
studied  law  with  Judge  Sedgwick,  with  whom  he  after- 


OR,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.  257 

wards  entered  into  partnership.  Having  several  times 
represented  this  town  in  the  State  Legislature,  and  accu 
mulated  an  independent  fortune,  he  retired  from  practice 
about  the  year  1803,  and  returned  to  Deerfield.  This 
course,  it  is  said,  was  in  consequence  of  a  charge  of  incor 
rectness  from  the  Presiding  Judge,  and  an  order  to  "  sit 
down."  "  I  will  not  sit  down,"  was  his  reply,  "  but  I  will 
leave  the  bar,  and  never  enter  it  again."  "  He  was  often 
urged,"  says  Rev.  H.  Colman,  "to  return;  but  he 
remained  inflexible."  This  act  is  said  by  one  who  knew 
him  well,  to  have  been  perfectly  characteristic  of  the  man. 

"  Under  the  law  providing  for  that  office,"  continues  Mr. 
Colman,  "  he  was  the  first  Reporter  of  the  Decisions  of  the 
Supreme  Court,  and  published  one  volume  of  the  Reports : 
had  a  seat  in  the  Senate  Board  for  Franklin  County,  and 
was  often  consulted  by  the  Judges  of  our  Courts." 

He  married  Miss  Emily  Trowbridge  about  the  year 
1815,  and  died  at  Deerfield,  December  27th,  1835,  leaving 
one  son,  who  is  now  assistant  Bishop  of  Connecticut. 

JOHN     BACON,    ESQ. 

Esquire,  or  as  he  is  more  generally  called,  Judge  Bacon, 
was  born  in  Canterbury,  Ct.,  and  graduated  at  Princeton 
in  1765.  After  supplying  two  destitute  churches  in  Mary 
land  for  a  time,  he  was  settled  over  the  Old  South  Church 
in  Boston,  September  25th,  1771.  In  1775  he  was  dis 
missed,  and  engaged  in  civil  affairs,  occasionally,  however, 
supplying  some  vacant  pulpit.  About  the  same  time  he 
came  to  Stockbridge,  built  the  house  which  formerly  stood 
on  the  ground  now  occupied  by  Mr.  P.  Palmer ;  and, 
besides  being  much  engaged  in  town  business,  was  repre 
sentative  to  the  Legislature,  member  and  President  of  the 
State  Senate,  member  of  Congress,  and  associate  and 
Presiding  Judge  of  Common  Pleas.  He  died  October 
25th,  1820,  aged  82.  His  wives  were  Gertrude  Henry 
and  Elizabeth  Goldthwait,  and  his  only  son  is  Judge 
Ezekiel  Bacon  of  Utica,  N.  Y. 

HON.    THEODORE    DWIGHT    ESQ. 

Esquire  Dwight  was  the  grand-son  of  President  Ed 
wards,  and  the  brother  of  President  Dwight.  He  was 


258  STOCKBRIDGE,  PAST  AND  PRESENT  J 

born  in  Northampton  in  1762,  and  after  his  graduation 
came  to  Stockbridge,  where  he  resided  a  "  long  time,"  for 
some  months  during  the  period,  teaching  the  select  school 
on  the  hill.  He  was  afterwards  one  of  the  first  lawyers 
in  Haddam,  Ct.,  became  active,  and  distinguished  in  pub 
lic  affairs,  and  noted  as  a  writer.  During  the  administra 
tion  of  Jackson,  he  was  engaged  with  his  son  in  editing 
and  publishing  the  "New  York  Daily,"  and  to  them  were 
committed  the  letters  of  his  friend  Charles  A.  Davis,  pub 
lished  over  the  signature  of  "Jack  Downing."  From  this 
circumstance,  and  from  the  known  genius  of  Esquire 
Dwight,  he  was  supposed  to  be  the  author  of  the  letters ; 
though  his  son  has  so  promptly  and  honorably  disclaimed 
it,  that  no  charge  of  fame-seeking  can  rest  upon  his  char 
acter. 

Esquire  Dwight  married  Miss  Abby  Alsop  of  Middle- 
town,  and  died  in  New  York  at  the  house  of  his  son  in 
1846.  An  outline  of  his  life  and  writings  was  published 
by  the  New  York  Historical  Society  soon  after  his  death, 
and  a  farther  notice  of  him,  particularly  as  a  New  York 
editor,  has  since  been  prepared  by  Dr.  Francis  under  the 
auspices  of  the  same  institution. 

THEODORE    SEDGWICK    ESQ. 

Was  born  at  Hartford,  West  District,  May,  1746.  He 
graduated  at  Yale,  and  commenced  the  practice  of  law  in 
Great  Barrington  in  1776.  The  same  year  he  went  to 
Canada  as  aid  to  General  Thomas.  He  afterwards  remov 
ed  to  Sheffield,  from  which  place  he  was  sent  as  represent 
ative  to  the  General  Court ;  and  it  was  perhaps  while  liv 
ing  there  that  he  so  successfully  advocated  the  cause  of 
freedom,  though  it  appears  not.  In  1785  he  came  to 
Stockbridge ;  in  1787  met  the  band  of  insurgents  in  the 
Shays  Rebellion  at  West  Stockbridge,  and  instantly  de 
feated  them.  In  1788  he  was  a  leading  advocate  for  the 
adoption  of  the  Constitution  in  the  State  Convention,  and 
also  a  member  of  the  Legislature,  and  Speaker  of  the 
House  of  Representatives ;  and  from  that  time  until  his 
death  at  Boston,  January  24,  1813,  at  the  age  of  66,  he 
was,  with  little  interruption,  Representative,  Senator,  or 
Judge.  He  has,  under  the  present  excitement,  been  ac- 


OR,   RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.  259 

cused  of  procuring  the  old  fugitive  slave  law.  Certain  it 
is  that  he  was  often  said  to  "  govern  Congress,"  and  doubt 
less  his  influence  in  that  case  was  very  great.  But  his 
principles  and  practice  upon  the  question  of  slavery  are 
so  well  known,  that  such  assertions  only  prove  that  the 
perpetuity  of  the  institution  was  not  the  design  of  those 
who  framed  our  Constitution.  In  1810,  his  opinion  was 
very  clearly  given  on  the  case  of  Greenwood  and  Curtis. 
He  argued  that  "  the  law  of  nature  should  be  the  law  of 
the  land ;  that  one  man  could  not  have  a  legitimate  prop 
erty  in  the  person  of  another  man ;  and  that  therefore  a 
contract  made  at  Rio  Pangos,  on  the  coast  of  Africa,  for  a 
cargo  of  slaves,  was  malum  in  se,  and  void  as  against  the 
law  of  God.  Accordingly  no  action  upon  such  a  contract 
could  be  sustained  at  common  law  in  Massachusetts."  If 
the  traffic  be  illegal,  he  averred  that  no  rights  can  be  ac 
quired  by  it,  and  consequently,  none  transferred. 

The  first  wife  of  Judge  Sedgwick  was  Elizabeth  Mason  ; 
his  second,  Pamela  Dwight,  daughter  of  Brigadier  Gene 
ral  Dwight,  and  grand-daughter  of  Colonel  Ephraim  Wil 
liams,  and  the  third,  Penelope  Russell  of  Boston.  His 
children,  all  children  of  the  second  wife,  are  well  known ; 
particularly  Theodore  as  a  lawyer  and  author,  Henry  and 
Robert  as  lawyers,  Charles  as  lawyer  and  clerk  of  the 
Berkshire  Court,  and  Miss  C.  M.  Sedgwick  as  an  author. 
Among  the  students  of  Judge  Sedgwick  are  remembered : 
Ephraim  Williams,  of  Stockbridge  ;  Henry  Hopkins,  who 
died  young ;  Ashbel  Strong,  of  Pittsfield ;  Judge  Howe, 

of  Northampton ;  George  Herbert,  of ;  William 

Hunt,  who  died  young,  and  Daniel  Dewey,  of  Williams- 
town. 

There  were  many  others  who  studied  with  Judge  Sedg 
wick,  and  among  them  his  own  sons,  Theodore,  Harry, 
Robert  and  Charles ;  but  no  other  names  of  strangers  can 
now  be  obtained,  all  the  older  members  of  the  family  be 
ing  dead. 

Judge  Sedgwick  was  descended  from  Robert  Sedgwick,  an 
early  settler,  and  distinguished  military  officer  of  Cam 
bridge.  His  father  was  Benjamin  Sedgwick,  who,  on 
leaving  mercantile  business,  settled  in  Cornwall,  and  there 
left  his  widow  and  six  children,  of  whom  Theodore  was 
the  youngest. 


260  STOCKBRIDGE,  PAST  ANT>  PRESENT  ; 

HENRY    W.    DWIGHT    ESft. 

Esquire  Dwight  was  born  at  Great  Barrington,  Sep 
tember  15,  1757,  very  soon  after  the  removal  of  his  father, 
Brigadier  Dwight,  to  that  place.  At  a  very  early  age  he 
embarked  in  the  Revolutionary  struggle,  and  continued  in 
the  service  until  our  independence  was  achieved.  He 
then  received  the  appointment  of  County  Clerk,  which 
office  he  held  until  ill  health  induced  him  to  abandon  it, 
near  the  close  of  his  life.  He  came  to  Stockbridge  soon 
after  the  close  of  the  war,  and  married  Miss  Abigail 
Wells,  a  teacher  here.  His  children  were  Hon.  Henry 
W.  Dwight,  Rev.  Edwin  Dwight,  and  Rev.  Louis  Dwight.. 
Esquire  Dwight  died  September  15,  1804,  and  was  buried 
at  the  same  time  with  his  aunt,  the  first  wife  of  Dr.  West. 
The  funeral  sermon  was  preached  by  Dr.  Hyde  of  Lee. 


For  more  than  forty  years  Missionary  to  the  Oneida 
Indians,  was  the  son  of  Rev.  Daniel  Kirkland  of  Norwich, 
and  was  born  about  1744;  educated  at  the  Lebanon  school 
and  at  Princeton,  where  he  graduated  in  1765,  and  was 
ordained  as  a  missionary,  at  Lebanon,  June  19,  1766.  In 
school  he  had  learned  the  Mohawk,  and  he  had  spent  a 
year  and  a  half  with  the  Senecas  for  the  purpose  of  ac 
quiring  their  tongue.  He  married  Miss  Jerusha  Bing- 
ham,.  a  teacher,  and  in  1769,  took  her  to  Oneida  Castle. 
In  the  spring  of  that  year,  he  went  to  the  house  of  his 
friend  General  Herkimer,  at  German  Flats,  and  there  his 
eldest  children,  John,  (President  Kirkland,)  and  George, 
mentioned  in  the  story  of  Shays'  Rebellion,  were  born,  Aug.. 
17,  1770.  About  1772  he  removed  to  Connecticut,  but 
soon  came  to  Stockbridge,  and  took  up  his  residence  in 
the  house  built  by  Mr.  Sergeant  in  the  village, — now  Mr. 
Carter's.*  From  there  he  removed  to  what  is  known  as 
the  Kirkland  Place,  west  of  the  village,  an  Indian  house 
of  two  rooms,  and  purchased  the  Indian  meeting  house, 
which  he  moved,  and  changed  into  a  barn.  On  this  place 
Mrs.  Kirkland  died,  together  with  an  infant,  January  23, 


*  Mr.  Asa  Bement  occupied  this  house  after  President  Ed 
wards,  but  left  it  on  account  of  the  Fever  and  Ague. 


OR,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD    MISSION    STATION.  261 

1788.  The  children  not  mentioned,  were  probably  bom 
in  the  village.  Two  other  children  were  buried  here. 
From  Stockbridge,  Mr.  Kirkland  removed  to  Paris,  or 
Clinton,  N.  Y.,  several  years  after  the  death  of  his  wife. 
His  second  wife  was  also  a  teacher,  Miss  Mary  Donelly  of 
this  town.  He  died  March  28,  1808,  aged  66. 

Mr  Kirkland's  practice  was  to  spend  six  months  with 
the  Indians,  and  then  six  months  with  his  family.  This 
occasioned  many  journeys,  which  in  the  unbroken  state  of 
the  country,  were  very  tedious.  He  had  also  trials  with  the 
Pagan  Indians.  January  1, 1789,  in  particular,  the  Chris 
tian  Indians  having  refused  to  join  the  revelry,  and  their 
dance  being  thus  broken  up  for  want  of  dancers,  a  plot 
was  laid  to  murder  Mr.  Kirkland.  But  the  design  was 
discovered,  and  the  affair  being  taken  up  by  the  Chief,  the 
conspirators  came  and  asked  forgiveness.  The  Christians, 
on  the  other  hand,  were  strongly  attached  to  Mr.  Kirkland 
and  his  family.  Old  Scenondou,  a  Chief  who  lived  to  a 
great  age,  106  or  110,  came  often  to  Clinton,  when  indis 
posed,  in  the  hope  of  dying  there,  and  being  buried  beside 
his  pastor  that  he  might  rise  with  him.  His  wish  was 
gratified  in  so  far  that  the  dust  of  both  sleeps  in  the  mis 
sionary's  garden.  Scenondou  was  buried  with  honors. 
President  Backus  delivered  the  sermon,  and  Judge  Dean 
interpreted, — March  13,  1816.  Mr.  Kirkland  translated 
the  Gospel  of  Mark,  and  some  Psalms  which  he  had  se 
lected.  His  efforts  in  the  cause  of  temperance  were  bless 
ed.  At  one  time  no  Indian  was  seen  intoxicated  in  the 
village  for  many  months.  "  Good  Peter,"  catechist  and 
teacher,  and  the  most  eloquent  man  among  the  Six  Na 
tions,  was  his  assistant.  Under  these  circumstances,  Mr. 
Kirkland  was  cheerful,  and  even  joyous.  He  was  often 
heard  singing  hymns  before  he  rose  in  the  morning. 

One  anecdote  hitherto  preserved  of  Mr.  Kirkland,  being 
an  illustration  of  Revolutionary  life,  should  not  be  lost. — 
The  action  of  the  County  Congress  upon  the  subject  of 
British  manufactures  and  importations,  has  been  mention 
ed.  In  Stockbridge,  where  that  Congress  met,  a  dissent 
was  considered  peculiarly  unpatriotic.  .No  stories  are  ex 
tant  of  Stockbridge  ladies  drinking  tea  in  the  garrets,  an 
act  perpetrated  in  some  places,  and  a  cup  of  the  exhilarat 
ing  decoction  was  scarcely  allowed  to  the  sick.  But  Dr. 


262  STOCKBEIDGE,   PAST   AND   PRESENT; 

"West  received  one  day  an  invitation  to  take  tea  with  Mr. 
Kirkland.  Supposing  it  to  be  an  invitation  to  Sage  Tea, 
he  accepted,  and  was  not  undeceived  until  the  genuine  per 
fume,  which  met  him  as  he  took  his  seat  at  the  table,  re 
vealed  the  truth.  The  missionary  was  to  commence  one 
of  his  fatiguing  journeys  on  the  morrow,  and  felt  the  ne 
cessity  of  a  stimulant,  which  he  had  generously  resolved 
to  share  with  his  clerical  friend.  But  their  pleasure  was 
short-lived ;  for  no  sooner  had  grace  been  said,  than  a  rap 
was  heard  at  the  door  !  Trembling  for  their  reputation, 
for  the  influence  of  their  example,  and  perhaps  for  their 
safety  too,  Mr.  K.  sprang  to  hide  the  Urn ;  but  the  handle 
of  the  other  urn  caught  in  the  loose  sleeve  of  his  gown, 
and  the  tea  was  "  poured  out,"  not  into  the  cups,  but  en 
tirely  into  his  lap.  His  knit  "  small  clothes "  and  tight 
stockings  were  but  slight  protection,  and  he  danced  in  quick 
step  for  pain.  The  "  knocker "  proved  to  be  no  adept  in 
the  discernment  of  ethereal  bodies,  and  the  ministers  were 
not  detected ;  but  the  mission  to  the  Indians  was  delayed 
for  weeks,  for  the  missionary's  limbs  to  heal,  and  then,  it  is 
believed,  commenced  without  even  the  innocent  stimulant 
of  a  cup  of  tea. 

REV.    SAMUEL    WHELPLEY. 

Mr.  Whelpley  was  born  in  Stockbridge  about  1766,  and 
was  the  son  of  Deacon  Whelpley,  who  resided  in  the  east 
part  of  the  town.  The  family  were  Baptists ;  and  Sam 
uel  retained  his  connection  with  that  church  for  several 
vears  after  he  entered  the  ministry.  His  first  field  of 
labor  was  West  Stockbridge,  from  which  place  he  removed 
to  Morristown,  N.  J.,  where  he  became  a  Presbyterian. 
From  Morristown  he  went  to  Newark,  and  thence  to  New 
York,  where  he  died,  July  15th,  1817,  aged  51.  His  dis 
position  to  employ  his  pen  was  early  shown,  and  Mrs. 
West  always  preserved  a  manuscript  romance  which  be 
gave  her  while  the  student  of  her  husband.  He  never 
received  a  public  education ;  but  his  "  Compend  of  Ancient 
and  Modern  History,"  and  his  "  Triangle,"  so  highly  and 
so  justly  celebrated,  show  an  original,  talented,  and  culti 
vated  mind.  He  also  published  "  Letters  on  Capital  Pun 
ishment  and  War." 


OK,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.  2G3 

TIMOTHY    EDWARDS,    ESQ. 

Esquire  Edwards  was  born  in  Northampton,  July  25th, 
1738,  and  graduated  at  Princeton  in  1757,  the  year  previ 
ous  to  his  father's  death.  September  25th,  1760,  he  mar 
ried  Miss  Klioda  Ogden,  and  settled  in  Elizabethtown  as  a 
merchant.  In  June,  1771,  he  came  to  Stockbridge,  and 
established  the  first  store  in  the  County.  The  county  was 
very  productive  in  wheat,  which  he  received  in  payment 
for  goods,  and  with  which  he  made  his  purchases  in  New 
York.  In  1772,  he  purchased  the  ground  of  an  Indian 
woman,  hired  workmen  from  Hatfield,  and  erected  the 
house  now  owned  by  Major  Owen.  It  was  one  and  a  half 
stories  high,  except  the  wing,  which  was  of  one  story. 
All  the  east  part  was  used  as  a  store.  In  1775  Esquire 
Edwards  became  a  member  of  the  State  Council,  and  con 
tinued  in  that  office  until  1780, — through  the  difficulties  of 
our  National  emancipation.  From  1778  to  1787,  he  was 
Judge  of  Probate;  in  1779,  declined  the  nomination  of 
member  of  Congress ;  for  many  years  sustained  the  office 
of  church  deacon.  During  the  war  he  was  often  chosen 
on  committees  at  home,  and  was  employed  by  General 
Washington  to  supply  the  soldiers  at  West  Point.  He 
died  in  the  house  now  occupied  by  Colonel  Goodrich,  his 
residence  during  the  later  years  of  his  life,  October  27th, 
1813,  at  the  age  of  75.  Mrs.  Edwards  died  in  Litchfield, 
November  22d,  1822,  and  was  brought  here  for  interment. 
Her  age  was  80. 

MRS.    ABIGAIL    DWIGHT. 

It  is  often  said  that  the  Church  has  no  heart,  though  it 
is  very  common  for  professors  to  wait  for  a  revival  in  the 
heart  of  the  Church  before  they  wake  their  own  spirits  to 
action.  But  the  church  is  built  up  "  a  holy  house,"  a  liv 
ing  temple,  and  its  various  altars  are  composed  of  individ 
ual  hearts,  in  all  of  which  there  is  the  element  of  heat,  but 
not  always  flame.  It  will  not  answer,  however,  for  the 
fire  to  become  extinct,  lest  he  who  dwelt  in  the  Shekinah 
break  forth  and  raze  it  to  the  ground.  So  he  ever  keeps 
a  living,  ascending  flame  in  some  bosoms ;  and  one  of 
these  favored  ones,  may  we  not  say,  was  Mrs.  Dwight. 


264        ST0CKBKIDGE,  PAST  AND  PRESENT; 

She  was  sometimes  thought  too  charitable,  but  her's  was 
the  charity  of  a  large  heart,  and  not  of  a  loose  faith.  She 
never  believed  that  the  unsaved  in  life  were  saved  at 
death  ;  but  she  always  hoped  for  the  best  while  life  lasted  ; 
and  where  there  was  no  evidence  of  piety,  she  yet  trusted 
to  electing  grace,  and  overleaping  the  months  or  years 
which  might  intervene,  embraced  the  wanderer  now,  in 
the  anticipation  of  doing  so  in  God's  good  time.  Mrs. 
Dwight  was  born  in  West  Hartford,  came  here  to  assist 
Miss  Pynchon  in  teaching,  married  H.  W.  Dwight,  Esq., 
and  died  May  31,  1840,  aged  77. 

Rev.  Edwin  Dwight,  her  son,  for  several  years  pastor 
of  the  church  in  Richmond,  died  a  resident  of  Stockbridge, 
Feb.  25,  1841,  and  his  wife  October  11,  1838,  both  much 
beloved  here,  and  by  their  former  parishioners.  Mr. 
Dwight's  age  was  51,  and  that  of  Mrs.  Dwight,  37. 

ABEL     BUELL 

Was  born  in  Killingworth,  Ct.  He  learned  the  trade 
of  Silver- Smith  of  Mr.  Chittendon  of  that  town,  and  was 
married  at  the  age  of  19.  The  next  year  he  was  suspect 
ed  of  altering  five  shilling  colony  notes  to  five  pounds, 
though  the  work  was  so  perfectly  executed,  that  great  sa 
gacity  was  necessary  in  detected  them.  When  the  coun 
terfeit  was  fully  known,  and  the  suspicion  rested  upon 
him,  a  ladder  was  placed  against  his  house,  and  he  was 
detected  in  the  act.  The  arrest  being  made,  Mathew  Gris- 
wold  acted  as  King's  Attorney.  The  youth  and  previous 
good  conduct  of  Buell,  won  the  compassion  of  Griswold, 
and  all  possible  favor  was  shown  him.  His  sentence  was 
branding ;  (the  brand  being  held  on  until  he  could  say 
"  God  save  the  King.") — cropping  and  imprisonment.  But 
the  brand,  denoting  the  nature  of  his  crime,  was  made  as 
high  on  his  forehead  as  the  hair  would  permit,  and  no 
more  than  the  tips  of  his  ears  were  taken  off.  These 
were  kept  warm  upon  his  tongue,  until  they  could  be  re 
placed,  and  adhered  firmly.  At  first  he  was  removed  for 
imprisonment ;  but  after  a  time,  at  the  request  of  his 
friends,  be  was  permitted  to  be  confined  in  Killingworth. 
About  the  time  of  his  removal,  he  constructed  the  first 
lapidary  machine  ever  made  in  the  country,  and  with  this 


OR,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.         265 

he  perfected  a  beautiful  ring,  which  he  presented  to  Mr. 
Griswold,  the  Attorney,  afterwards  Governor  Griswold, 
and  Mr.  Griswold  procured  his  pardon. 

The  next  unusual  event  of  his  life,  was  his  employment 
by  Bernard  Romans,  to  survey  the  southern  coast  of  North 
America,  Mr.  R.  being  engaged  in  the  publication  of  a 
new  map  of  this  part  of  the  continent.  While  at  Pensa- 
cola,  engaged  in  this  work,  an  individual  came  to  him,  and 
under  pretence  of  mere  curiosity,  though  it  was  afterwards 
believed,  employed  by  the  Governor,  asked  if  he  could 
break  the  King's  Seal,  and  again  unite  it  so  as  entirely  to 
conceal  the  fracture.  Buell  innocently  did  it,  and  was  in 
consequence  arrested,  and  detained  as  prisoner  on  an  is 
land,  probably  Santa  Rosa,  though  not  in  close  custody. — 
His  genius  again  saved  him.  He  built  a  small  boat,  in 
which  he  put  to  sea,  taking  with  him  a  little  boy  who  wish 
ed  to  leave  the  island.  After  three  day's  exposure  in  this 
frail  bark  upon  the  broad  ocean,  he  reached  one  of  our 
southern  ports,  and  from  thence  returned  to  Killingworth. 
The  map  was  engraved  by  him,  believed  to  have  been  the 
first  done  in  this  country. 

At  the  opening  of  the  Revolution,  a  difficulty  arose  in 
procuring  types.  None  but  French  types  could  be  obtain 
ed.  Buell  constructed  a  type  foundry,  and  made  a  large 
quantity  during  the  war.  He  lived  at  that  time  in  New 
Haven,  and  worked  in  the  Sandemonian  church.  When 
the  war  was  over,  he  was  engaged  by  the  State  to  coin 
coppers  ;  and,  having  made  his  own  implements,  he  brought 
the  art  to  such  perfection,  that  he  could  produce  one  hun 
dred  and  twenty  coppers  a  minute.  He  next  went  to  Eng 
land,  ostensibly  to  obtain  a  new  supply  of  metal,  but  real 
ly  to  obtain  information  in  the  manufacture  of  cloths. — 
While  there,  he  one  day,  in  travelling,  came  upon  a  com 
pany  of  men  who  were  constructing  an  iron  bridge,  and 
who,  for  want  of  mechanical  skill,  had  so  shaped  their  ma 
terials  that  they  saw  no  way  of  bringing  them  together. 
Mr.  Buell's  ingenuity  suggested  a  plan,  and  the  whole  was 
soon  fitted,  for  which  he  received  one  hundred  guineas. 

But  here  another  feature  in  his  character  must  be  ex 
posed,  else  the  grace  of  God  will  not  be  glorified  as  it 
should.  Mr.  Buell  was  an  open  infidel ;  and  his  evenings 
in  London  were  spent  with  Thomas  Paine  in  ridiculing 


266  STOCKBRIDGE,    PAST   AND    PRESENT; 

the  Word  of  God.  In  this  work,  it  is  sad  to  say,  they 
were  joined  by  a  clergyman  ;  but  he  was  not  a  minister  of 
the  Gospel.  He  professed  to  be  a  Unitarian  —  probably 
had  no  creed  at  all.  His  name  it  is  not  necessary  to  pub 
lish. 

When  Mr.  Buell  returned  to  America,  he  established  a 
cotton  factory  in  New  Haven,  one  of  the  first  founded  in 
the  country.  From  New  Haven,  he  removed  to  Hartford, 
and  thence  to  Stockbridge,  where  he  established  himself  as 
a  goldsmith. 

Soon  after  the  revival  of  1813  commenced,  he  was 
taken,  apparently,  very  ill ;  but  his  physician  could  dis 
cover  no  physical  derangement ;  and  being  himself  a  good 
humored  unbeliever,  predicted  that  Mr.  Buell  would  pass 
himself  off  as  a  convert,  and  deceive  the  pastor.  Mr. 
Swift  visited  him,  and  found  him  tossing  in  agony,  as  on  a 
bed  of  embers,  yet  unwilling  to  reveal  the  cause  of  his 
distress.  Ten  or  twelve  days  were  spent  in  this  state ;  his 
flesh  wasted  away,  and  he  seemed  about  to  drop  into  that 
scouted  eternity,  when  He  who  is  rich  in  mercy  stretched 
out  the  hand  for  his  deliverance.  As  the  pastor  entered 
his  room,  soon  after  the  change  took  place,  he  looked  up 
from  the  open  volume  which  lay  upon  his  knees,  and 
exclaimed  with  great  animation  —  "They  have  been 
altering  the  Bible !  This  is  not  the  same  book  which 
Tom  Paine  and  I  used  to  ridicule !  they  have  altered  it ; 
they  have  altered  the  Bible.  This  is  beautiful !  Oh,  how 
beautiful !  All  beautiful !  beautiful,  beautiful," — and  he 
turned  its  leaves  back  and  forth,  his  countenance  beaming 
with  delight.  The  scales  had  fallen  from  his  eyes,  and  he 
saw  things  spiritual,  spiritually.  From  that  time,  the 
Lord  seemed  to  be  his  chosen  companion.  "I  am  not 
alone,"  he  said,  "  I  have  the  best  of  company."  His  Bible 
was  with  him,  and  he  realized  delightfully  the  all-pervad 
ing  presence  of  Deity. 

Mr.  Buell  united  with  the  church  in  Stockbridge  soon 
after,  being  upwards  of  70  years  of  age ;  and,  though  sub 
ject  in  after  life  to  great  privations,  he  ever  sustained  the 
character  of  a  Christian.  He  returned  to  New  Haven — it 
is  said,  in  1825 — where  he  soon  died  in  the  alms-house. 


OR,  RECORDS  OF  AN  OLD  MISSION  STATION.          267 

Besides  these,  whose  characters  have  been  sketched, 
many  others  might  be  added  who  have  adorned  the  sta 
tions  allotted  them  by  Providence,  and  gone  down  to  their 
graves  in  peace ;  but  a  notice  of  all  such  would  swell  this 
volume  to  an  undue  size  ;  and  it  is  better  to  give  too  few 
than  too  many.  "  Better  far,"  says  an  old  writer,  "  that 
the  question  be  asked  why  a  monument  was  not  raised, 
than  why  one  was  erected."  Taking  this  venerable  coun 
sel  then,  we  check  feeling,  and  yield  to  prudence. 


APPENDIX. 


(A.) 

HECKEWELDER  says  of  the  Shawanoes,  that  they  were  a 
restless  people,  delighting  in  wars,  in  which  they  were  con 
stantly  engaged  with  the  surrounding  nations.  At  last  their 
neighbors,  tired  of  being  harassed  by  them,  formed  a  league 
for  their  destruction.  The  Shawanoes,  finding  themselves 
thus  dangerously  situated,  asked  to  be  permitted  to  leave  the 
country,  which  request  was  granted ;  and  they  immediately 
moved  to  the  Ohio,  (from  the  South.)  Here  their  main  body 
settled,  and  then  sent  messengers  to  their  elder  brother,  the 
Mohicans,  (by  which  name  the  Stockbridge  Indians  are  fre 
quently  called,  and  even  by  Dr.  Edwards,)  requesting  them 
to  intercede  for  them  with  their  grandfather,  the  Leni, 
or  Lenape,  to  take  them  under  his  protection.  This  the 
Mohicans  willingly  did,  and  even  sent  a  body  of  their  own 
people  to  conduct  their  younger  brother  into  the  country  of 
the  Delawares.  The  Shawanoes,  finding  themselves  safe 
under  the  protection  of  their  grandfather,  did  not  choose  to 
proceed  to  the  eastward,  but  many  of  them  remained  on  the 
Ohio,  some  of  whom  settled  as  far  up  as  Pittsburgh.  Those 
who  proceeded  farther  were  accompanied  by  their  Chief, 
Gach-ga-wats-chi-qua,  and  settled  principally  at  and  about 
the  Forks  of  the  Delaware,  between  that  and  the  confluence 
of  the  Delaware  and  Schuylkill;  and  some  on  the  spot  where 
Philadelphia  now  stands ;  others  were  conducted  by  the  Mo 
hicans  into  their  own  country,  where  they  inter-married  with 
them,  and  became  one  people.  (This,  if  correct,  explains 
the  name  u  Shawanoe  Purchase,"  in  Alford.)  When  those 
settled  near  the  Delaware  had  multiplied,  they  returned  to 


270  APPENDIX. 

Wyoming,  on   the    Susquehannah,  where  they  resided  for  a 
great  number  of  years. 

Chapman,  in  his  History  of  Wyoming,  gives  another  ac 
count  of  their  removal  j  but  Heckewelder's  recital  accords  so 
well  with  the  hints  given  by  the  Stockbridge  Historian,  that 
he  seems  best  entitled  to  credit. 

(B.) 

u  Brothers,  you  sometimes  sorry  to  see  the  deplorable  situ 
ation  of  your  Indian  brethren,  for  which  you  have  given  us 
many  good  counsels,  though  we  feel  ourselves  willing  to 
follow  your  counsel,  but  it  has  made  no  effect  as  yet.  Our 
situation  is  still  miserable.  Our  ancestors  were  conquered 
immediately  after  you  came  over  this  island  by  the  strong 
Hero,  who  does  still  reign  among  Indian  tribes  with  tyranny ; 
who  has  robbed  us  of  every  thing  that  was  precious  on  our 
eyes.  By  the  power  of  our  enemy,  our  eyes  have  been  blind 
ed,  our  young  men  seems  become  willing  slaves  to  this  des 
potic  hero.  In  looking  back  we  see  nothing  but  desolation  of 
our  mighty  men  ;  in  looking  forward,  we  foresee  the  desola 
tion  of  our  tribes.  Our  Chiefs  has  used  their  endeavors  to 
reform  their  respective  people ;  but  having  see  no  success, 
they  seem  discouraged,  and  hang  down  their  heads.  Before 
you  cover  your  council  Fire,  we  unite  our  cries  for  your  help. 
Perhaps  you  are  ready  to  think  what  man  that  must  be  that 
has  abused  so  much  our  brethren  ?  never  was  such  hero  or 
tyrant  heard  that  ever  meddled  with  Indians.  But  in  literal 
ly,  he  is  your  own  begotten  son,  and  his  name  you  call  Rum. 
And  the  names  of  his  officers  are  Brandy,  Wine  and  Gin, 
and  we  know  you  have  power  to  control  him  ;  and  as  we  de 
sire  to  live  in  peace,  and  to  become  civilized  nations,  we 
earnestly  entreat  you  to  use  your  power  and  wisdom  to  pre 
vent,  &c.  Signed  by  several  "  Chiefs  and  Warriors,"  March, 

1796,  and  addressed  to  "the Legislature."     There  is 

much  reason  for  ascribing  this  to  the  New  York  Indians. 

(C.) 

Dr.  Lykins  has  recently  obtained  from  Pa-teg-we,  a  Potta- 
watomie,  residing  on  the  reservation  of  that  Tribe  on  the 
Kansas  river,  a  similar  curiosity,  which  has  been  exhibited 
in  Washington  by  Colonel  Lea,  though  not  with  great  pub 
licity.  It  was  only  lent  to  Dr.  Lykins,  the  Indians  being 
unwilling  to  part  with  it  upon  any  consideration  whatever. — 
"  It  consists  of  four  small  rolls  or  strips  of  parchment,  closely 
packed  in  the  small  compartments  of  a  little  box.  or  locket, 
of  about  an  inch  cubical  content.  On  these  parchments  are 
written  in  a  style  of  unsurpassed  elegance,  and  far  more 


APPENDIX.  271 

beautiful  than  print,  portions  of  the  Penteteuch,  to  be  worn 
as  frontlets,  and  intended  as  stimulants  of  the  memory  and 
moral  sense."  The  Indian  from  whom  it  was  obtained,  had 
it  from  his  aged  grandmother,  and  it  had  been  in  the  posses 
sion  of  this  particular  family  about  fifty  years.  Originally, 
there  were  two  lockets ;  but  one  had  been  lost  in  crossing  a 
rapid  stream  at  the  north.  That  was  supposed  by  the  Indians 
to  contain  an  account  of  the  creation.  Hitherto  these  curios 
ities  had  been  kept  from  the  whites,  and  only  the  influence 
of  Dr.  Lykins  with  the  Chief,  has  induced  Pategwe  to  expose 
them  to  the  gaze  of  a  u  pale  face."  He  had  them  many 
years  in  his  possession  before  he  ventured  to  cut  the  stitches 
of  the  cover,  and  look,  himself,  upon  the  holy  charm  ;  and  he 
was  then  advised,  by  one  of  the  Chiefs,  to  keep  the  whole  a 
profound  secret.  A  half  breed  revealed  the  secret  to  Dr. 
Lykins.  When  asked  how  long  they  had  possessed  this  am 
ulet,  the  Indians  reply  that  they  have  no  knowledge  of  a  time 
when  they  did  not  possess  it.  It  has  always  been  kept  from 
exposure,  c'  for  a  very  long  period  in  the  medicine  bag,"  and 
its  age  must  certainly  be  reckoned  by  centuries.  To  this 
may  be  added  the  testimony  of  the  Delawares,  that  their  an 
cestors,  (divided  into  ten  tribes,)  besides  the  spirit  of  prophe 
cy,  possessed  the  Scriptures  when  they  lived  upon  the  other 
side  of  the  water;  that  then  they  prospered,  but  having  sold 
this  gift  of  the  Great  Spirit,  they  sorely  offended  him,  and,  as 
a  punishment,  were  subjected  to  oppression  from  their  neigh 
bors.  After  a  time,  however,  he  compassionated  their  dis 
tress,  and  led  them  across  a  great  river  to  this  country,  drying 
up  the  waters  before  them.  Only  nine  tribes,  they  say,  con 
sented  to  emigrate,  and  from  these  nine  the  Delawares  separ 
ated  at  a  still  later  period.  Traditions  were  also  found  among 
different  tribes  of  Indians  in  early  times,  of  the  murder  of 
Abel  by  his  brother,  of  the  Deluge,  the  confusion  of  Babel, 
and  of  the  practice  among  their  ancestors  of  the  rite  of  cir 
cumcision. 

(D.) 

In  1749,  the  Shawanoes  sent  a  messenger  to  Stockbridge 
with  wampum,  to  thank  the  Housatonic  Indians  for  their 
good  advice,  and  to  say  that  they  should  never  again  become 
intoxicated.  They  had  refused  to  trade  in  rum ;  and  when 
it  was  brought  among  them  by  the  whites,  they  had  gone  one 
century  ahead  of  even  our  noble  sister  Maine,  breaking  the 
casks  in  pieces,  and  pouring  the  liquor  upon  the  ground. — 
Count  Zinzindorf  also  visited  these  Indians,  and  the  story  of 
his  rejection,  the  attempt  of  the  Indians  to  murder  him,  and 
the  conviction  produced  upon  the  minds  of  the  assassins,  and 


272  APPENDIX. 

through  them  upon  the  minds  of  the  people,  by  the  sight  of 
a  large  rattlesnake  passing  harmlessly,  and  unobserved  by 
him,  across  his  limbs,  as  he  sat  reading  in  his  hut  at  night, 
has  been  often  told,  and  is  very  generally  accredited.  The 
Prophet  and  Tecumseh  were  of  this  tribe,  but  received  little 
honor  among  their  own  kindred. 

(E.) 

In  this  year  the  Constable's  Keturns  run  thus  : — *f  agreea 
ble  to  the  within  warrant,  I  have  warned  all  the  Inglish  In 
habitants  in  sd.  town  as  within  Described,  to  meet  at  Time 
and  place  as  within  mentioned." 

This  is  signed  by  a  white,  not  long  a  resident. 

"  By  Virtue  of  the  foregoing  order  I  have  warned  all  the 
Indian  Inhabitants  in  sd.  Town  as  within  described,  to  Meet 
at  Time  and  place  within  mentioned.'' — Per  me — Joseph 
Quinequaunt,  Constable." 

Though  these  can  not  be  considered  fair  samples  of  the 
comparative  erudition  of  the  whites  and  the  Indians  in  Stock- 
bridge,  still,  as  on  looking  into  the  Town  Record  for  one 
year's  returns  to  give  as  specimens,  this  was  the  first  upon 
which  the  eye  fell,  it  is  fairly  given. 

(*.) 

The  Stockbridge  Indian  Bill  was  advocated  in  the  New 
York  Senate  in  1849,  by  Mr.  Johnson,  upon  the  ground  that 
the  State  was  professedly  the  guardian  of  the  Indians,  and 
yet  had  made  70  or  $80,000  out  of  them,  contrary  to  the  usual 
practice  of  guardians.  This  is  a  hint  by  which  some  other 
powers  might  perhaps  profit. 

(G.) 

In  1822,  Mr.  Quinney  procured  the  passage  of  a  law  in  the 
New  York  Legislature,  giving  to  the  Stockbridge  Indians  the 
full  value  of  land  still  remaining  to  them  in  the  State,  by  which 
alone  the  Tribe  were  enabled  to  remove. 

In  1828,  he  was  sent  from  Green  Bay,  to  unite  the  Indians 
still  in  New  York,  in  a  petition  to  Congress  for  a  recognition 
of  their  right  to  the  Winnebago  and  Menomonie  purchase, 
some  of  the  land  having  been  purchased  of  those  Tribes  by 
the  U.  S.  Commissioner  at  the  Little  Butte  des  Morts  Treaty 
in  1827,*  notwithstanding  that  the  professed  object  of  the 
Treaty  was  to  fix  boundaries  between  the  different  Tribes  — 

*La  Petit  Butte  des  Morts,  is  a  Mound  of  thirty  feet  in  height, 
on  Fox  River. 


APPENDIX.  273 

Mr.  Quinney  was  deputed  to  see  the  appeal  printed,  and  for 
warded  by  a  special  agent  •  and  the  ratification  of  the  Treaty 
was  permitted  to  contain  a  proviso  in  their  behalf.  In  the 
spring  of  1829,  Mr.  Quinney  collected  the  poor  of  the  Tribe 
still  in  New  York,  to  the  number  of  thirty,  and  removed  them 
to  Green  Bay.  The  Treaty  of  1827  still  producing  evils,  he 
was  sent  by  the  Stockbridges  and  Munseys  to  Washington, 
together  with  delegates  from  the  other  Tribes,  in  1831 ;  but 
the  Menomonies  prevented  any  settlement,  as  they  had  pre 
viously  done  in  their  own  country  in  1830,  at  the  Treaty  men 
tioned  in  Section  25th.  A  new  tract  was  indeed  offered  the 
Stockbridges  ;  but,  upon  examination,  it  was  found  to  be  unfit 
for  settlement.  In  this  state  of  things,  the  Stockbridge  and 
Munsey  Tribes  united,  and  sent  Mr.  Quinney  and  John  Me- 
toxin  to  Washington,  to  procure  some  terms  upon  which  they 
could  live  in  peace.  Other  Tribes  sent  delegates,  and  a  hear 
ing  was  obtained.  But  they  were  positively  forbidden  to  re 
main  where  they  were,  and  only  permitted  to  plunge  into  the 
woods  on  the  shore  of  Winnebago.  This  was  in  1831  and  2. 

In  1839  the  Stockbridges  followed  the  example  of  the 
Oneidas,  and  asked  compensation  for  their  losses  ;  Austin  E. 
Quinney  and  John  W.  Quinney  being  deputed  for  the  pur 
pose.  This  was  not  granted  them,  however,  until  1848,  when 
they  were  allowed  $25.000.  Mr.  Quinney  and  John  Chicks 
were  the  delegates  in  1841-2  to  present  this  appeal. 

In  1844  Mr.  Quinney  accompanied  the  Sachem  of  the 
Tribe  to  Washington,  to  present  the  above  mentioned  petition, 
and  also  to  obtain  a  repeal,  or  a  modification  of  the  law  of 
March  3,  1843,  making  the  Stockbridges  citizens  of  the  Unit 
ed  States,  contrary  to  the  wishes  of  a  majority  of  the  Tribe. 

In  1846  he  was  again  sent,  alone,  and  procured  the  repeal 
of  the  act,  and  an  allowance  of  $5,000  on  the  claim  before 
referred  to.  This  being  withheld,  however,  together  with 
other  moneys  belonging  to  the  Tribe,  he  was  sent  again  in 
1848,  but  obtained  nothing  at  all. 

In  1850  he  was  returned  to  Washington  with  Austin  E. 
Quinney,  then  Sachem,  for  the  same  purpose ;  and  also  to 
obtain  permission  for  the  Tribe  to  make  their  own  selection 
of  seventy-two  sections  of  land  granted  them  by  the  amend 
ment  of  the  Treaty  of  1848,  on  the  Mississippi  river.  This 
mission  was  successful. 

(H.) 

The  particulars  of  this  affair  are  these :  Daniel  Phelps, 
being  an  officer,  was  asked  one  day  by  a  company  of  his 
associates  assembled  in  his  room,  to  give  them  the  manual 
exercise.  Accordingly  he  took  his  seat,  and,  being  first 


274 

armed  with  guns  which  were  standing  by,  they  arranged 
themselves  before  him  When  the  order  was  given  to  "take 
aim/'  one  man  pointed  his  piece  directly  towards  Captain 
Phelps.  He  was  requested  to  turn  it  to  one  side,  which  he 
did3  though  probably  no  one  supposed  it  to  be  loaded.  Yet, 
when  Captain  Phelps  pronounced  the  word  ''fire/'  Mr.  Y. 
again  pointed  the  gun  directly  towards  him  j  and  its  contents, 
entering  the  right  breast  of  the  officer,  took  an  oblique  direc 
tion,  boring  the  lungs,  and  lodging  in  the  back  bone.  This 
was  inferred,  at  least,  from  his  appearance,  a  numbness  in  all 
parts  below  the  ball  taking  place  immediately.  As  soon  as 
the  surgeons  had  searched  the  wound,  he  asked  if  it  was  mor 
tal,  and  was  answered  "  Yes."  From  that  moment  to  his 
death,  two  days  afterward,  though  his  sufferings  were  often 
great,  Mr.  Avery,  the  Chaplain,  speaks  of  him  as  a  "mirror 
of  patience  and  resignation,"  such  as  '•  is  scarcely  to  be 
found."  In  a  letter  to  Dr.  West,  dated  u  Camp  at  Cambridge, 
May  12,  1775,"  he  says  :  *<  Mr.  Phelps  was  wounded  on  Mon 
day,  at  3  P.  M.  He  very  quietly  fell  on  sleep  at  about  6  P. 
M,  Wednesday.  Thus  expired  the  flower  of  our  army. 
Yesterday  he  was  interred  in  the  Cambridge  burying-yard  in 
a  very  decent  and  respectable  manner.  I  had  the  greatest 
satisfaction  and  comfort  in  his  death,  for  he  appeared  to  die 
in  the  triumphs  of  faith,"  &c.  He  speaks  of  his  brothers, 
Jacob  and  Hezekiah,  being  present ;  but  they  are  supposed 
to  have  gone  from  Barrington.  Deacon  Brown  and  Captain 
Goodrich  were  also  with  him. 

Mr.  Y.  became  almost  distracted,  and,  it  is  believed,  con 
tinued  in  a  gloomy  state  of  mind  until  his  own  death  many 
years  afterward.  He  was  not  suspected  of  design,  but  was 
probably  less  cautious  than  he  should  have  been. 

(I-) 

The  Fair  was  held  in  the  dining-room  of  the  u  Stockbridge 
House,"  which  was  tastefully  decorated.  Besides  ornaments 
appropriate  to  the  holidays,  particular  reference  was  had  to 
the  occasion.  "  There,"  says  one,  u  was  the  wreathed  portrait 
of  Kossuth  at  the  upper  end,  surrounded  by  Hungarian  and 
Turkish  Flags,  and  above  it  "Eljen  Kossuth"  in  laurel 
leaves,  fit  writing  for  that  name  which  is  imperishable.  Op 
posite  was  the  American  Flag,  draped  to  conceal  the  walls, 
and  hung  with  evergreens.  Around  the  side  and  across  the 
cealing,  were  festoons  of  evergreen  and  the  Hungarian  colors. 
And  there,  hung  around  with  wreaths  of  laurel,  were  the 
names  of  Batthiany,  and  the  thirteen  martyrs  of  Arad,  of 
whom  Kossuth  so  ofteri  speaks.  Then  there  were  mottoes — 
"The  shadows  of  our  martyrs  pass  before  me."  *'  FORWARD 


APPENDIX.  275 

is  the  word."  "  Still  they  say  it  was  I  who  inspired  them. 
No  !  it  was  they  who  inspired  me."  «*  The  heart  strings  of 
the  women  are  the  purse-strings  of  the  men." 

On  receiving  the  money,  Kossuth  returned  the  following 
reply  :— 

WASHINGTON,  January  9th,  1852. 
Dear  Miss  F.  : 

I  have  the  honor  to  acknowledge  the  receipt  of 
your  much  esteemed  letter  of  3d  January,  with  the  inclosed 
check  of  $200,  of  which  $150  are  the  proceeds  of  a  Fair 
held  in  your  village,  as  an  offering  from  the  women  of  Stock- 
bridge,  and  the  remaining  fifty,  from  a  separate  contribution 
from  your  citizens,  as  a  gift  from  willing  hearts  to  the  cause 
of  freedom  in  Hungary. 

Allow  me  to  express  my  warmest  thanks  for  this  kind  gift 
which  the  noble  and  generous  ladies  and  citizens  of  Stock- 
bridge  so  generously  granted  in  behalf  of  my  poor  down 
trodden  country,  and  the  common  cause  of  humanity. 

The  female  heart  is  always  susceptible  of  sympathy,  and 
the  remembrance  of  your  kind  offering  shall  be  cherished  by 
me,  and  shall  aid  me  in  the  effort  to  accomplish  the  freedom 
of  Hungary. 

I  thank  you — from  my  heart  I  thank  you — for  your  generous 
sentiments,  and  I  have  the  honor  to  remain, 

Your  obedient  servant, 

L.  KOSSUTH. 

The  good  which  will  be  accomplished  by  this  donation  is 
still  a  matter  of  uncertainty.  But  whatever  the  event  may  be, 
the  aim  was  commendable  ;  and  who  will  ever  regret  that  we 
did  not  prudently  stand  aloof  until  it  should  be  decided  that 
we  might  have  aided  a  worthier  cause  ?  "  If  thou  forbear  to 
deliver  them  that  are  drawn  unto  death,  and  those  that  are 
ready  to  be  slain :  if  thou  sayest,  £  Behold,  we  knew  it  not ; ' 
doth  not  he  that  pondereth  the  heart  consider  it  ?  and  he  that 
keepeth  thy  soul,  doth  not  he  know  it  ?" — Prov.  24 :  11,  12. 

On  the  4th  of  July,  1852,  an  entertainment  was  also  given 
for  the  benefit  of  Hungarian  exiles. 


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